Continued by Part 2, Part 3The party is sent in search of an ancient artifact.

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18:02 bookworm is now known as Victor18:02 Moontide is now known as Ookook18:05 Woody is now known as Alan18:16 Arkan is now known as Greystone18:15 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alright, you guys ready to arrive at the castle?18:15 <Greystone>: Yes. 'Bout time.18:15 <Victor>: If that's what's next18:16 <Tikvah_GMing>: Arkan, if you don't want your character to arrive with the others I guess you could wait in the guard room to meet them or something. Or arrive later.18:20 <Greystone>: [So.. Greystone arrives a day behind the others I would think?]18:20 <Tikvah_GMing>: Well, travelling alone, you may have managed to catch up to them.18:21 <Greystone>: Actually, that is possible.18:21 <Tikvah_GMing>: The castle is located atop a steep crag. A narrow road leads up to the gatehouse, where a deep crevice must be crossed by drawbridge.18:21 <Tikvah_GMing>: The bridge is lowered, so Finn heads inside the courtyard.18:21 Ookook follows Finn18:21 <Tikvah_GMing>: Inside, it looks looks like a medieval castle, with a keep standing in the middle of the courtyard, and wooden houses built around by the walls.18:22 <Tikvah_GMing>: A narrow rope bridge is suspended between the top of the keep and the Northernmost tower.18:24 <Tikvah_GMing>: Finn takes you inside the keep. From the entrance hall there are doors leading to the kitchen and servants areas, and the guard room.18:25 <Tikvah_GMing>: "The guard room is where you will be staying when you aren't away on a mission. Go settle in, look around. When you're ready, ask around among the guards for Oddmund. He has your first mission."18:26 <Ookook>: Did we get paid for the last mission?18:27 <Tikvah_GMing>: Technically, that was Finn's mission. You guys just helped.18:27 <Victor>: He said we would be paid18:27 <Ookook>: Hmmm...18:27 Alan settles into his quarters18:28 <Victor>: We're all in one room?18:28 <Tikvah_GMing>: The guard room has couches around three sides. The side with the entrance is covered in a large rack of weapons, and the opposite door leads to a hallway that has rooms for the guards.18:28 <Tikvah_GMing>: A few guards are loafing about, but the room is mostly empty.18:29 <Alan>: Are the weapons personal belongings or open to all?18:29 Victor finds a place to store his trophies18:29 <Tikvah_GMing>: Finn has left through another door in the entrance hall.18:31 <Ookook>: Are the rooms assigned or do people just sleep in whatever?18:31 <Tikvah_GMing>: Find an empty room and take it.18:31 <Alan>: I do so18:32 <Ookook>: I vote that we go ask about the mission.18:33 Victor takes a room next to Gromit's if there is one18:33 <Tikvah_GMing>: Sure.18:33 Greystone steps out of a room at the end of the hallway, with an air of having just settled in.18:33 <Victor>: What time of day is it?18:34 <Tikvah_GMing>: Around 2pm.18:34 Victor touches his hat18:34 <Victor>: "Afternoon."18:34 Greystone glances over at the party members buzzing around selecting rooms.18:34 <Alan>: Again, are the weapons personal belongings or for anyone's use?18:35 Greystone directs his heavy gaze into Victor's eyes. Nods.18:35 <Tikvah_GMing>: Personal weapons are kept in your room. The ones on the rack are for any of the guards to use.18:36 <Alan>: Anything we would be interested in?18:36 <Tikvah_GMing>: All the weapons look equal or lesser than your own.18:36 <Tikvah_GMing>: The better ones have probably been snitched by various guards.18:38 <Victor>: Are most of the guards wearing the Count's uniform?18:38 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yes.18:39 <Victor>: Is that usual garb or just put on when most appropriate?18:39 <Ookook>: Are we wearing the count's uniform?18:39 <Alan>: ^18:40 <Tikvah_GMing>: The uniform is worn when on duty at the castle, or for formal occasions. Otherwise a simple badge with the Counts coat of arms is used.18:41 <Victor>: That's what I thought, just checking18:43 <Ookook>: "Should we ask Oddmund for our next mission?"18:44 <Alan>: "Sounds good to me"18:45 Ookook asks a guard about Obbmund18:45 <Tikvah_GMing>: Obbmund?18:46 Alan asks a guard about Oddmund18:46 <Ookook>: You said ", ask around among the guards for Oddmund"18:46 <Ookook>: Or was that what the guard said?18:46 <Greystone>: [XD]18:47 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Oddmund is the head of the guards stationed in the castle. The guards in the guardroom tell you that Oddmund is currently at the blacksmith getting his sword sharpened.18:47 <Alan>: I head to the blacksmith18:48 <Ookook>: I follow Alan while thinking about climbing the walls18:49 Greystone already knew this, and, having received similar instructions from Finn, starts to follow the same path.18:50 <Tikvah_GMing>: The blacksith shed is one of the wooden buildings around the sides of the courtyard. You enter the building, and see the blacksmith busily sharpening a great broadsword and talking with Oddmund.18:50 <Alan>: "Oddmund?" I ask18:51 <Tikvah_GMing>: He is a burly man towering over his fellows, his most noticeable feature would be that he has only one eye... set directly in the centre of his forehead, giving him a cyclops look.18:51 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Aye, that me! You must be the new recruits The captain was talkin' about!"18:52 <Alan>: "Yes, sir. I understand you have a mission for us?"18:53 Greystone arrives at the blacksmith.18:53 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Ah, right! I have the paper around here somewhere..." He feels around in his pockets and pulls out an envelope with the count's seal on it.18:55 <Tikvah_GMing>: He hands it to you. "If you need any information about the area, I would go to the tavern down in the village. The tavern keeper knows somethin' about everything."18:56 <Ookook>: I suggest we go talk to the tavern keeper.18:56 <Alan>: I suggest we review our mission first18:57 <Ookook>: Good point18:57 Alan opens the envelope19:00 <Tikvah_GMing>: Travel to the Ogre's mouth. Ensure that it is not inhabited by wild beasts. Search for the Trillsword artifact said to be hidden there.19:02 <Ookook>: Do we know where ogre's mouth is?19:03 <Tikvah_GMing>: It's on the region map. To the north of the castle.19:03 <Ookook>: I'm still backing going to the tavern to collect rumours.19:03 <Ookook>: Maybe, I will see someone who sells neat hats.19:05 <Tikvah_GMing>: Well, does anyone else besides the monkey have an opinion?19:05 <Victor>: No19:06 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alright, tavern it is.19:06 <Victor>: Victor is going with the group for now19:06 <Victor>: We were assigned to work as a group yes?19:07 <Ookook>: <The game would be super awkward to run if we all went on separate missions.>19:08 <Victor>: We can go on the same mission without being a group19:08 <Alan>: I ask the tavern keeper about Trillsword artifacts19:09 <Greystone>: [This should have been easy, but I can't figure out how to do this.]19:09 <Greystone>: [In order for this storyline to make any sense, the party members would have needed to meet Greystone before Oddmund. The envelope just kills it. Unless he has multiples, in which case Greystone still isn't going to be part of the group, but just doing the same thing separately... Arug, playing a character who doesn't like to talk is bothersome right now.]19:09 <Greystone>: [If we redact my arrival at the blacksmith, then Oddmund could direct Greystone to join the other recruits... Otherwise I give up on figuring out how the characters are supposed to merge. I've been trying to figure out how it should go, but Greystone isn't keen to talk to other characters.]19:09 <Victor>: I assumed Finn grouped us up19:10 <Ookook>: Greystone could just be at the tavern.19:11 <Tikvah_GMing>: [Greystone, it doesn't really matter when you met the others. Just be here.]19:11 <Alan>: OOC: let's just say Greystone caught up to us on the trail19:12 <Ookook>: If I fail to cast a debuff, would people know that I did?19:12 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yes.19:12 <Ookook>: If it was a silent debuff, not cymbal powered.19:12 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yes.19:12 <Tikvah_GMing>: Well, it depends how badly you fail.19:12 <Tikvah_GMing>: The Travelling Crescent Tavern is busy with customers. The room is about 40' long and just as wide. The tavern keeper himself is standing behind the counter, wiping it down.19:12 <Tikvah_GMing>: He is tall and thin, with a somewhat shift look on his face, topped by tidily combed black hair.19:13 <Alan>: Like I said, I ask the tavern keeper what a Trillsword artifact is19:15 <Tikvah_GMing>: "The Trillsword artifact? Let's see.. I think it's some old thing made by the cyclops. I'm not quite sure what it's for though."19:16 <Tikvah_GMing>: "It's supposed to be in the Ogre's Mouth isn't it? Why would you want to go there?"19:17 <Alan>: "Why wouldn't I?" I ask, in a confused, rather than cocky, tone19:17 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Just last week two adventurers went there looking for treasure, and they never came back."19:17 <Ookook>: "If we go there then we might get paid."19:17 <Ookook>: "That is why we are going there."19:18 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Paid? You must be Count Drindall's new retainers."19:20 <Ookook>: "Maybe there is a even better paying job over there."19:21 <Ookook>: "That would explain why they never came back."19:21 <Greystone>: "Perhaps."19:21 <Tikvah_GMing>: "You can think that if you want..."19:21 Victor is amused with how the monkey's mind thinks19:22 <Victor>: In a genuine way, not just "that's cute or silly"19:22 <Ookook>: I have to pay for fancy hats somehow.19:25 <Ookook>: I propose we travel to Oger's mouth through the portal system to investigate the high paying jobs.19:25 <Ookook>: Also, fulfil the quest at hand.19:25 <Victor>: Do we have a portal there?19:26 <Alan>: I ask around to see if anyone has any more specific information19:26 <Greystone>: Are we government officials.19:26 <Tikvah_GMing>: There is a portal that will get you fairly close to the Ogre's Mouth.19:27 <Tikvah_GMing>: Since you are travelling on the Count's business, you are qualified to use the portals.19:27 <Ookook>: We are about the count's business, so we are at least government contractors.19:28 <Greystone>: !19:28 <Greystone>: I thought the portals would be more restrictive than that.19:28 <Ookook>: Though our lodging is being supplied by the count which would make us government employees.19:28 <Tikvah_GMing>: No one seems to know anything more about the Ogre's Mouth.19:28 <Greystone>: Do they go both ways.19:28 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yes.19:28 <Ookook>: Do they fail in horrific ways often?19:29 <Tikvah_GMing>: Technically you aren't government employees, but the count has paid the officials to let his retainers through.19:30 <Greystone>: Figures.19:32 <Ookook>: I say we teleport though unless anyone has anything else they want to do.19:32 <Alan>: "I say we head to the portal"19:34 <Greystone>: "I have my gear."19:34 <Tikvah_GMing>: So, you guys want to teleport now?19:34 <Alan>: Victor?19:35 <Victor>: If everyone else is prepared I'm ready19:36 <Greystone>: Exactly.19:36 <Tikvah_GMing>: You teleport to a small military outpost at the edge of the mountains. Ogre's Mouth is a few hours walk away.19:37 <Alan>: Anything interesting at the outpost?19:37 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see some soldiers, a stable, a couple bored officials doing a routine inspection.19:38 <Ookook>: "Good, we will have back up when we are fleeing from the monsters."19:38 <Ookook>: Can monsters travel through portals.19:39 <Tikvah_GMing>: If it can force its way past all the guards, maybe.19:39 <Greystone>: I assume there is security, like at ports.19:39 <Alan>: Alright, to the Ogre's mouth19:40 <Ookook>: Will the sun set on us before we get to ogre's mouth?19:40 <Ookook>: Also, do monsters come out of the woods everywhere to eat us at night?19:40 <Tikvah_GMing>: No, you will have about an hours daylight when you reach Ogre's Mouth.19:40 <Tikvah_GMing>: No, they do not.19:42 <Ookook>: Can we sleep at ogre's mouth safely?19:42 <Tikvah_GMing>: Dunno.19:42 <Ookook>: Let us go anyway.19:43 <Ookook>: I don't want to waste an entire afternoon.19:43 <Victor>: "Possible monsters aside, light is usually helpful when searching for hidden artifacts."19:44 <Victor>: "I have some experience in that area."19:44 Greystone clacks his flint and steel.19:45 Victor ignites his torch19:45 <Victor>: "Of course we can manufacture some"19:45 <Victor>: "But it doesn't compare to the amount the sun provides."19:45 <Ookook>: Our primary mission is to make sure there are no monsters in this area. The best way is to sleep their over night to see if anything happens.19:46 <Ookook>: If we are not attacked then there are likely no monsters.19:46 <Ookook>: We can continue searching the next morning.19:46 <Victor>: I read it the other way, the primary mission is the artifact19:46 <Victor>: But we can still split the objectives the same way19:46 <Alan>: "We can establish lookout shifts"19:47 Greystone draws an equal sign in the air with his hands.19:47 <Ookook>: I vote we travel to oger's mouth.19:47 <Alan>: OOC: I say we just go. We spend far too much time deliberating19:48 Greystone starts trudging toward Oger's mouth.19:48 <Victor>: We said that last campaign and continually found the planning was insufficient19:49 <Alan>: Yet they were things we could not have anticipated19:49 <Victor>: "We have to be there at some point either way."19:50 Greystone calls back, "Can we deliberate on the way? We have an hours walk ahead of us."19:51 <Victor>: "If it's done on the way there's nothing to deliberate..." Victor starts down the path19:51 Ookook follows Victor19:51 <Tikvah_GMing>: Ogre's Mouth is an ancient fortress built into the side of a mountain. The walls are about fifteen feet high, with a stone gate set squarely in the centre.19:52 <Alan>: I look for a way in19:52 <Tikvah_GMing>: roll a perception check.19:52 <Victor>: !roll d2019:52 <Dicebot>: Victor: 1319:52 <Alan>: "I suggest we spend our daylight time finding a safe position to sleep"19:52 <Victor>: "Agreed"19:52 <Ookook>: !roll d2019:52 <Dicebot>: Ookook: 619:52 <Alan>: !roll d20 specialized19:52 <Dicebot>: Alan, specialized: 119:52 <Greystone>: !roll d2019:52 <Dicebot>: Greystone: 619:53 <Tikvah_GMing>: You don't see any holes in the walls besides the gate. The walls have crumbled a bit on the top, but they are still too firm to knock down.19:53 <Greystone>: [We were deliberating what to do once we got there, and whether to stay the night, right? Why would there be nothing to deliberate on the way?]19:53 <Victor>: *I* was deliberating whether to go now and not have light for anything once there, or go in the morning and have the whole day to look around. So if we were on the way over, the it means the decision was made19:54 Ookook tries to open the gate with my hands19:54 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll a strength check.19:54 <Alan>: I help Ookook19:54 <Ookook>: !roll d2019:54 <Dicebot>: Ookook: 319:55 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alan, if you're helping, you roll too.19:55 <Alan>: !roll d2019:55 <Dicebot>: Alan: 419:55 <Tikvah_GMing>: It doesn't budge.19:56 <Greystone>: How big are the gates?19:56 <Alan>: Do I have any asset to the layout from living in a fortress most of my life?19:56 <Greystone>: Are they sealed in any way.19:56 Ookook uses my sack of gunpowder to blow open the gates.19:57 <Tikvah_GMing>: The gate is about 6 feet across, and as high as the walls.19:57 <Tikvah_GMing>: There seems to be a beam on the other side holding it shut.19:57 <Tikvah_GMing>: Ookook, roll for it.19:57 <Victor>: "Let's wait on that!"19:58 Victor grabs Ookook's arm19:58 <Ookook>: Given victor's reluctance for me to blow open the gates, I stop.19:59 <Ookook>: You're right. Perhaps if we could find a large rock, we could focus the blast better and make it more effective.19:59 <Victor>: "I appreciate your innovation, but if there's a non destructive way to get in we should go with that. We may want to be able to re-close the door, if monsters try coming in. Or out."19:59 Ookook looks for a heavy rock.20:00 Greystone, irritated: "Can you climb the wall and see if you can open the gate from the inside?"20:00 <Alan>: ^20:00 Greystone vaguely glares at the explosion-crazed monkey.20:01 <Ookook>: I suppose that would be safer.20:01 Ookook climbs the wall.20:01 Greystone under his breath: "For us."20:01 <Ookook>: "Depends on how bad the shrapnel is."20:01 <Ookook>: !roll d20 (monkey powers20:01 <Dicebot>: Ookook, (monkey powers): 1320:02 <Tikvah_GMing>: You manage to clamber to the top.20:02 <Victor>: Is this just a wall, or is it connected to the roof?20:03 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see a mostly empty courtyard with a door leading into the mountain. A few mountain goats are eating grass below you.20:03 <Tikvah_GMing>: It's a wall, about 3 feet across.20:03 Victor tosses a marked bolt over the wall and bamfs to the other side20:03 <Greystone>: Whoever heard of a fortress in an RPG with a roof.20:03 <Ookook>: I lower the rope that we all have.20:03 <Ookook>: and tie it to something useful.20:04 <Tikvah_GMing>: On which side of the wall?20:04 <Tikvah_GMing>: And what are you tying it to?20:04 <Ookook>: The bumpy things on the tops of walls, and lowering it to the outside side20:04 <Alan>: Just open the gate?20:04 <Greystone>: We could just climb, but the gate might be simpler.20:05 <Ookook>: I am likely too weak to open the gate.20:05 <Victor>: That's why I came too20:05 <Tikvah_GMing>: The walls are flat on top, and a little crumbly. No bumpy things.20:05 <Tikvah_GMing>: There is a very simple solution if you think about it.20:05 <Victor>: Can I see why the gate didn't open?20:05 <Ookook>: I rolled really low.20:06 <Ookook>: when I tried.20:06 <Ookook>: I rolled 3. and Alan 420:06 <Ookook>: So that is why we didn't open the gate20:06 <Victor>: She said it was blocked or something20:06 <Tikvah_GMing>: You couldn't open it from the outside because there is a beam on the inside.20:06 Victor removes the block20:07 <Tikvah_GMing>: Also, Victor needs to roll for his Kismet use.20:10 <Victor>: !roll d2020:10 <Dicebot>: Victor: 920:11 <Tikvah_GMing>: You arrive on the other side of the wall without incident.20:11 <Alan>: Victor opens the gate20:11 <Alan>: I walk in20:11 Greystone enters and looks around.20:13 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see the same stuff Ookook saw.20:14 <Alan>: I start looking for a place to camp20:14 <Ookook>: If I throw one end of the rope to Victor and the other end to the outside, then could everyone climb it safely?20:14 <Tikvah_GMing>: I suppose...?20:14 <Tikvah_GMing>: If you really want to.20:14 <Victor>: If I hold it tight enough20:14 <Alan>: Victor just opened the gate, though...20:14 Greystone looks at the goats. "Nourishment."20:16 <Tikvah_GMing>: The courtyard is bare, save for the door and some patches of grass.20:17 <Ookook>: So do you think the monsters will come from the door or from the outside?20:17 <Greystone>: "Are we going to assume that there are monsters?"20:17 <Alan>: "I think that would be wise"20:18 <Victor>: "We're not going to assume there aren't, anyway."20:18 <Ookook>: "We are here to make sure that there are none."20:18 <Alan>: I choose the most strategically advantageous position20:18 <Ookook>: "And we need the monsters to know that we are here."20:18 <Ookook>: "So that if they don't show, then we know that they aren't."20:18 <Victor>: Is there a way inside?20:19 <Tikvah_GMing>: There is the door.20:19 <Ookook>: Maybe put the goats outside the castle to attract the monsters?20:19 <Ookook>: "Wait whose goats are those?"20:19 <Tikvah_GMing>: Mountain goats.20:19 Victor tries the door20:19 <Alan>: I assume there are other ways in20:20 <Tikvah_GMing>: It creaks open, revealing a set of stairs going down into the darkness.20:20 <Victor>: Is it dark in here?20:20 <Greystone>: "Well this looks traditional."20:20 <Tikvah_GMing>: It is dark inside the door. It isn't dark in the courtyard.20:21 <Victor>: Wait it's just stairs?20:21 <Victor>: Not a room?20:21 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yup.20:21 <Victor>: Oh20:21 Victor closes the door again until the others are done in the yard20:22 <Ookook>: I climb down into the courtyard20:22 <Ookook>: !roll d2020:22 <Dicebot>: Ookook: 1120:23 <Ookook>: (monkey powers)20:23 <Tikvah_GMing>: You do fine.20:23 <Tikvah_GMing>: And I thought I told you to get a different name for that.20:23 <Tikvah_GMing>: 20:23 <Ookook>: You did, but I forgot what it was.20:23 <Victor>: 20:24 <Victor>: I'd say climbing proficiency20:24 <Victor>: That's standard rpg terminology20:24 <Tikvah_GMing>: Eeh, we'll work on it.20:25 <Ookook>: Was it small animal powers?20:26 <Victor>: If you want to make it specific to our system it could be "asset to climbing"20:26 <Ookook>: But monkey powers works on all non-combat speed actions.20:26 <Tikvah_GMing>: [I am gonna end this a bit early tonight, cause I'm sick and I have schoolwork to do.]20:26 <Tikvah_GMing>: How about we continue with our adventure?20:29 <Greystone>: I am strangely exhausted. I wouldn't mind pulling in early.20:29 <Greystone>: Either way.20:30 <Victor>: Let's at least finish in the courtyard20:30 <Victor>: We probably are20:30 <Ookook>: I think we are done with the court yard20:30 <Ookook>: I suggest we go down the stairs.20:31 <Victor>: Did we close the gate behind us?20:31 <Tikvah_GMing>: Did you?20:31 <Victor>: I'm asking them20:32 <Ookook>: I suggest we close the gate so that we are not attacked from the rear.20:32 <Victor>: I second that; though if we're attacked from the front it could hinder an escape20:32 <Alan>: Not by much20:32 <Victor>: But it's more likely the beasts, if there are any, are outside than inside20:33 <Greystone>: I would like to at least assign positions before we head into the Great Dark.20:33 <Greystone>: Who goes first? How many have a means of illumination.20:33 <Victor>: I'll go first20:33 <Greystone>: Should we have the monkey watch our backs.20:33 <Alan>: I say we camp here for the night. Unknown tunnels sounds like a bad idea20:33 <Ookook>: Dark Tunnels are equally dangerous at night and at day.20:34 <Ookook>: Because they are always dark.20:34 <Victor>: The monkey speaks the truth20:34 <Greystone>: I say we explore till it's close to night, then perform our "let's see if any monsters come to eat us" plan.20:35 <Greystone>: Since monsters tend to come out at night apparently.20:35 <Greystone>: Meantime, why waste an hour? As the monkey says, equally dangerous.20:35 <Victor>: They mostly come at night20:36 <Victor>: Mostly20:39 <Greystone>: So, we're going in, ya.20:39 <Ookook>: Yes20:39 <Ookook>: I suppose I should go last.20:39 <Ookook>: Because I am support/ranged20:40 <Greystone>: "Monkey, you can ride on my shoulder and be lookout, if you would like."20:40 <Ookook>: I might bonk my head on the low roofs20:40 <Greystone>: GM: Are there low roofs?20:41 <Tikvah_GMing>: The ceiling is about 8 feet up.20:41 <Victor>: "Oh does someone have a spare sword?"20:41 <Greystone>: "Why?"20:42 <Victor>: "Because otherwise I should go second."20:42 <Greystone>: (I did, but Tikvah thought it superfluous.)20:42 <Alan>: Who has point?20:42 <Greystone>: "Do you not have a sword?"20:42 <Victor>: Oh20:43 <Victor>: Not of my own, but I would have grabbed one from the weapon rack20:43 <Tikvah_GMing>: You would have a medium sword then. (4d)20:43 <Victor>: Yes20:43 <Greystone>: I can go first.20:43 <Victor>: So I can go first20:43 <Victor>: Whatever20:43 <Victor>: Doesn't matter20:44 <Victor>: I'll go second with my torch lit20:44 <Tikvah_GMing>: You descend into a room about 15' across. There is a door with three levers in front of it, and a small wooden chest.20:44 <Alan>: I tentatively open the chest20:44 <Tikvah_GMing>: You find 15 silver coins and a stone key.20:44 Victor examines the ceiling20:45 <Tikvah_GMing>: There is a metal grate above the door with the levers. There is a grid of strange glowing stones in the ceiling that supply a small amount of light.20:45 <Ookook>: Does debuffs work on traps?20:46 <Alan>: I examine the levers20:46 <Ookook>: Should we try pulling the levels?20:46 <Greystone>: The levers are risky.20:46 Greystone proffers Victor his issued pistol. "I don't use these."20:46 <Greystone>: "Care to have two?"20:47 <Victor>: "I'd certainly welcome the second shot without needing to reload."20:47 <Greystone>: "Yours then."20:47 Ookook looks for clues for what the levels do.20:47 <Tikvah_GMing>: roll a perception check.20:47 <Victor>: "Though it's never bad to have a ranged option, even if rarely used. But if you're sure you would never go to it."20:47 <Greystone>: "Never. I am a swordsman through and through."20:48 Victor nods and bags the pistol20:48 <Greystone>: "If I die for it, so be it."20:48 Greystone turns his attention to what Ookook is doing.20:49 <Ookook>: !roll d2020:49 <Dicebot>: Ookook: 1020:49 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see some sort of mechanism above the grate, but you can't see what it is.20:50 <Alan>: I was examining the levers too. I assume I should roll perception as well?20:50 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yes.20:50 <Alan>: (especially since mine is specialized)20:50 <Alan>: !roll d20 specialized20:50 <Dicebot>: Alan, specialized: 1820:50 <Alan>: Booyah20:51 <Tikvah_GMing>: Above the grate appears to be two crossbows that are connected to two of the levers.20:52 <Tikvah_GMing>: You can't tell which though.20:52 <Victor>: We could have guessed that much 20:52 <Victor>: Good eyes though anyway20:52 <Greystone>: Where are the crossbows pointing.20:53 <Victor>: I'm sure the crossbows point at the levers20:53 <Ookook>: I suggest that we stand out of the way of the crossbows and pull a lever.20:53 <Alan>: ^20:53 <Tikvah_GMing>: They are pointing down through the grate, in front of the levers.20:53 <Alan>: I tie a rope to each lever20:54 Victor points approvingly at Alan20:54 <Greystone>: We can just try the levers one at a time if we can keep from being shot.20:54 <Greystone>: Rope works. Or I could just bounce them off my shield.20:54 <Alan>: Everyone, move away from the levers20:55 Victor goes back to the entrance of the room20:56 Greystone stands sort of to the side of the room.20:56 <Greystone>: Shield ready. I expect more to go wrong than the crossbows.20:57 <Alan>: Alright, so long as Ookook is out of the way, I pull the rope connected to the lever on the far left20:58 <Ookook>: I move out of the way20:58 <Tikvah_GMing>: The two arrows in the grate fire, splintering harmlessly onto the ground.21:00 <Greystone>: "Pull the next lever, Kronk!"21:00 <Ookook>: Agreed21:01 <Alan>: Next lever21:02 <Tikvah_GMing>: The centre one, or the one on the right?21:02 <Greystone>: (Sorry. lol Greystone didn't say that. XD)21:02 <Greystone>: Left to right of course.21:02 <Greystone>: "Wait!"21:02 <Alan>: Center was what I intended21:02 <Alan>: Unless Greystone has an argument for the right21:03 <Greystone>: "If BOTH arrows fired, then there must be a different trap for the other wrong choice!"21:03 <Greystone>: Probably.21:03 <Greystone>: "Which we have not discerned."21:03 <Alan>: I look for another trap21:04 <Alan>: !roll d20 specialized21:04 <Dicebot>: Alan, specialized: 821:04 <Victor>: High perception roll said both levers had the bows21:04 <Victor>: Maybe they reload21:04 <Greystone>: We couldn't exactly how they work with/apply to the levers.21:04 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see nothing else.21:04 <Greystone>: They may only apply to one.21:05 <Greystone>: Do they appear reloaded.21:05 <Tikvah_GMing>: You can't tell.21:05 <Alan>: Alright, I pull the center rope21:05 <Greystone>: There could two safe levers of course.21:05 <Greystone>: Or all three might just be a trap.21:05 <Greystone>: Who knows.21:05 <Victor>: I trust a 24 perception to not leave out life or death information21:05 <Tikvah_GMing>: You pull the center rope, and the door swings open.21:06 <Victor>: Pull the last one21:07 <Alan>: I had planned to21:07 <Victor>: Good21:07 <Victor>: We should spend all traps while we have safe means of doing so21:07 <Alan>: It may have good results, after all21:07 <Alan>: I pull the last rope21:08 <Tikvah_GMing>: The bows seem to have reloaded, only these arrows splinter on the ground, sending flying fragment around the room.21:08 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll a dodge.21:09 <Ookook>: !roll d2021:09 <Dicebot>: Ookook: 1221:09 <Alan>: !roll d20 trained21:09 <Dicebot>: Alan, trained: 1421:09 <Victor>: !roll d20 specialized21:09 <Dicebot>: Victor, specialized: 421:10 <Greystone>: !roll d20 +shield21:10 <Dicebot>: Greystone, +shield: 1021:10 <Tikvah_GMing>: You all dodge the shrapnel.21:10 <Victor>: Good place to break21:10 <Ookook>: Yeah.21:11 <Tikvah_GMing>: OK, you all get 1 XP and 1 to give away. Also divide the 15 silver however you want.21:11 <Greystone>: I wondering when we'd div the silver.21:12 <Victor>: Probably at the end21:12 <Greystone>: That would probably be a good time to divide all spoils.21:12 <Alan>: Alright, who doesn't mind getting one less silver? =p21:13 <Alan>: Or we could wait until the end of the mission to divide loot21:13 <Alan>: Because there will likely be more21:13 <Victor>: It splits evenly21:13 <Victor>: But yes we should wait for the grand total21:13 <Alan>: I assume the key is for something in the maze21:13 <Ookook>: There might be more people playing next session who we may need to split the loot.21:13 <Alan>: There's four of us, Victor21:13 <Victor>: Gromit is here21:13 <Alan>: Ah21:14 <Ookook>: Or split the sliver into copper.21:14 <Greystone>: Clever monkey.21:14 <Victor>: Would that change anything?21:14 <Victor>: If it does you just blew my mind21:15 <Ookook>: Then the unfairness would be one copper piece instead of one silver.21:16 <Ookook>: 100 copper = 1 silver IIRC21:16 <Victor>: That's amazing21:16 <Victor>: Well done Moontide21:16 <Greystone>: But if there are five, then 15 splits 3-all nicely, so there we are.21:17 <Ookook>: Yes, I agree with Greystone.21:17 <Ookook>: Good night.21:17 <Ookook>: We are done right?21:17 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yeah.21:18 Greystone is now known as Arkan21:18 <Arkan>: Whoo.21:18 <Arkan>: Never try to rpg when tired.21:21 <Arkan>: Goodnight all. I am going to try to collect my wits, and reaffirm my character's personality.

_________________Photobucket was evil and made third-party display a premium feature. Then they increased the size and obnoxiousness of the placeholder advertisement encouraging me to upgrade. Thus, this text signature.

I give my XP to Arkan for impressively taking on the ogre. (Even though it was only impressive because he got really lucky and it worked out. Really it was bad idea. But it did work and it was cool so he still gets this one.)

Continued from Part 1, Continued by Part 3The artifact's location is discovered, but so is its ancient guardian.

Quote:

18:42 bookworm is now known as Victor18:43 Arkan is now known as Greystone18:45 Woody is now known as Alan18:47 <Tikvah_GMing>: So who picked up the stone key that was in the chest? I couldn't find it in the log.18:47 <Tikvah_GMing>: If anyone did18:47 <Alan>: I did18:47 <Greystone>: We just left it sitting there for the moment.18:47 <Greystone>: Or he grabbed it.18:47 <Alan>: Or so I assumed, since I opened the chest18:48 <Tikvah_GMing>: For future reference, if you pick something up, say so. It makes it a lot easier for me to keep track of everything.18:49 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alright, you are in the small room with the chest, the levers and the key. The door is unlocked.18:50 Alan goes through the door, wary of traps18:50 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see a long hallway extending into the darkness.18:50 Victor brings in his torch18:51 <Tikvah_GMing>: The hall is about 100 feet long, and you think you see a ladder going down into the floor at the far end.18:52 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see something small lying on the floor by the ladder.18:52 Victor advances18:53 <Tikvah_GMing>: The object is a small dagger, broken off at the base of the blade. The hilt is smeared with dried blood.18:53 Alan advances as well, wary of the small thing18:54 Greystone goes up to look at the "small thing".18:54 <Greystone>: {lol}18:54 <Alan>: Is it any use, or just a leftover from a fallen explorer?18:55 <Tikvah_GMing>: There is nothing left but the a stub where the blade was meant to be. 18:55 <Tikvah_GMing>: If you want to take it, I won't stop you.18:56 <Victor>: Is it the blade or the hilt?18:56 <Tikvah_GMing>: The hilt.18:56 <Victor>: Does it look distinctive?18:56 <Tikvah_GMing>: No. 18:56 <Alan>: Alright, I think it's safe to assume this has to do with the monsters18:57 <Alan>: So we ought to proceed with extreme caution from here on out18:57 <Alan>: Now, who is best equipped to go down the ladder first?18:57 Victor asks if Gromit wants to taste the blood18:57 <Greystone>: Can we assume that Gromit wets and tastes the blood?18:57 <Victor>: To determine age18:58 Alan turns around18:58 <Tikvah_GMing>: Gromit isn't on this mission yet. He might catch up with you guys later.18:58 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alan, roll a perception check.18:58 <Victor>: He's not here at all?18:58 <Tikvah_GMing>: Nope.18:58 <Victor>: Oh18:58 <Alan>: !roll d20 specialized18:58 <Dicebot>: Alan, specialized: 1518:59 <Victor>: What is the ground like in here?19:00 <Tikvah_GMing>: It appears to be made of stone.19:00 <Victor>: Any small loose bits?19:00 <Tikvah_GMing>: There are no loose bits.19:00 <Alan>: "Guys, I think something's following us"19:00 <Victor>: "Be more specific."19:01 <Alan>: "I just saw a figure behind us."19:01 <Victor>: "Be more specific."19:01 <Victor>: I look where he's motioning19:02 <Victor>: With crossbow ready19:02 <Tikvah_GMing>: Anyone who wants, roll a perception check.19:02 <Victor>: !roll d2019:02 <Dicebot>: Victor: 1219:02 Greystone places his back against the left wall.19:03 <Greystone>: !roll d2019:03 <Dicebot>: Greystone: 1019:03 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see nothing out of place.19:03 Victor snaps a flare and tosses it toward the door19:03 <Tikvah_GMing>: If anything was there, you don't see it.19:04 <Victor>: I judge if Alan seems like he may have imagined it19:05 <Greystone>: Let's see... if something was behind us... then it would have to have wandered in from the mountainside. 19:05 <Victor>: We closed the gate19:05 <Victor>: It was already in the courtyard19:05 <Greystone>: So we either have:19:06 <Greystone>: 1. A gate opening monster19:06 <Greystone>: 2. A paranoid heir of Murdoch Fief19:06 <Greystone>: 3. Some highly stealthy creature that has either come up the ladder unperceived, or hanging around the ceiling19:06 <Tikvah_GMing>: Victor, roll an intelligence check if you want to see if Alan was imagining things.19:06 <Victor>: !roll d2019:06 <Dicebot>: Victor: 819:06 <Tikvah_GMing>: He doesn't seem delusional in any way.19:07 <Victor>: Meaning I find it more likely he wouldn't see things that aren't there?19:07 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yes.19:08 <Victor>: I believe he saw something, I'm trying to determine if it was just jumping at shadows or not19:08 Victor goes back toward the door19:09 <Tikvah_GMing>: A small stone clatters to the ground by Alan's feet.19:09 Victor looks up19:09 <Alan>: "Care to explain that?"19:09 <Greystone>: {Did Woody just introduce an arbitrary plot point? Why did his character suddenly "see something"?}19:10 <Victor>: He got a GM whisper19:10 <Alan>: OOC: Tikvah PMed it to me19:10 <Tikvah_GMing>: Hmmmmmmm....19:10 <Alan>: Which direction did the stone come from?19:10 <Tikvah_GMing>: The ladder, it seems.19:11 <Alan>: Interesting19:11 <Alan>: What I saw was behind us, not at the ladder19:11 Victor looks up19:11 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see a stone ceiling a few feet above your head.19:11 Greystone scans the area. Has sword in basic position.19:11 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see nothing.19:12 Victor goes to the door, kicks the flare outside, and closes it19:12 Victor returns to the ladder19:12 Greystone misses the monkey.19:13 <Victor>: Does anything happen at the door?19:13 <Tikvah_GMing>: No.19:13 Victor snaps a second flare and drops in down the hole19:13 <Alan>: "Victor, do you know anything about invisible creatures?"19:13 <Victor>: Have I heard of invisible creatures?19:14 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll a magical creatures knowledge check.19:14 <Victor>: Background asset?19:14 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yes.19:14 <Victor>: !roll d20 asset19:14 <Dicebot>: Victor, asset: 2019:16 <Greystone>: Well that was a success if I ever saw one.19:16 <Victor>: Perhaps I've not only heard of them (if they exist) but have experienced one and know how to thwart them19:17 Greystone says nothing.19:19 <Tikvah_GMing>: You have heard of a certain species of mountain ogre that can remain invisible. They often hold a strong bond with certain objects, going to any lengths to take them back. They can hold their invisibility unless they take damage, or someone comes into prolonged contact with them or any of their treasures.19:20 <Victor>: "I have. There's probably one guarding this artifact."19:20 <Alan>: "I'll bet the dagger is its treasure."19:20 Victor snaps a second flare and drops in down the hole19:20 <Alan>: I pick up the dagger19:21 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see a large open space, dimly lit by the same glowing stones as were in the ceiling of the lever room.19:21 <Victor>: We can see the bottom?19:22 <Tikvah_GMing>: A stone floor 40 feet below you.19:22 Victor motions downward nonchalantly "Armor first."19:23 Greystone climbs down the ladder.19:24 Alan follows19:24 Victor goes third19:25 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see a football stadium sized room with a 2 foot ledge running all around it about 20 feet up. The vaulted ceiling is 40 ft high. There is a large oak door with iron bands on it set in one wall, with two fist sized round dents on either side of it. There are two smaller door on the other sides of the room.19:26 Victor examines the ceiling19:27 <Tikvah_GMing>: The ladder goes up into the ceiling by the wall opposite from the large door. Large glowing stones are set into it, lighting the room. besides that, it seems to be bare.19:27 <Alan>: Any result from me holding the dagger?19:27 <Greystone>: Is there any way to easily reach the ledge?19:28 <Tikvah_GMing>: You could reach the ledge if you climbed the ladder to that height.19:28 <Greystone>: Perfect.19:28 <Tikvah_GMing>: You don't notice any results from holding the dagger.19:29 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alan, roll perception check19:29 <Alan>: !roll d20 specialized19:29 <Dicebot>: Alan, specialized: 419:30 <Greystone>: After glancing around the room while the others reach the bottom of the ladder, I then climb back up to ledge height, and begin to pace the ledge, circumventing the room.19:30 <Tikvah_GMing>: You don't see anything unusual.19:30 <Tikvah_GMing>: The ledge reaches all around the room.19:30 <Greystone>: Looking for any doors or anything notable up there.19:30 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll perception check.19:30 Victor stands against the wall with arms crossed waiting direction19:31 <Greystone>: !roll 20 perception19:31 <Dicebot>: Greystone, perception: 2019:32 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see the flickering image of a hulking, man-shaped creature approaching Alan from behind.19:32 <Greystone>: "This ridge seems a perfect place to just shoot down on anyone in the room." 19:32 <Tikvah_GMing>: But you don't see any more doors.19:34 Victor drops a marked bolt on the ground and goes up the ladder to the ledge19:34 Greystone leaps straight down on the creature, attempting to land a massive double-handed sword blow.19:34 <Alan>: That's a 20 foot drop...19:35 Victor watches Greystone jump down just as he gets up, confused19:35 <Tikvah_GMing>: If he wants to break his spine you don't have to stop him.19:36 <Greystone>: *I* (Arkan) can jump 20 feet.19:37 <Greystone>: I should think an old soldier can manage.19:37 <Victor>: If it's downward you can in fact jump infinity feet19:37 <Victor>: Surviving it is different19:37 <Greystone>: This is a fantasy RPG after all.19:37 <Greystone>: I mean down.19:37 <Tikvah_GMing>: Well, if you miss, you're taking some fall damage.19:37 <Greystone>: You just have to know how to land.19:37 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll for it.19:37 <Greystone>: I can take some damage.19:38 <Greystone>: I'm relying on Greystone's fighting and endurance skills.19:38 <Greystone>: You have to admit that was epic.19:38 <Tikvah_GMing>: Well, roll your jump check then.19:39 <Greystone>: !roll 2019:39 <Dicebot>: Greystone: 2019:39 <Tikvah_GMing>: ...19:39 <Greystone>: ...19:39 <Victor>: Indeed it was epic19:39 <Greystone>: {Dicebot? Are you drunk?}19:39 <Tikvah_GMing>: Now I know how Skid felt.19:40 <Victor>: I repeat what I said then19:40 <Victor>: Double crits are why you play19:40 <Victor>: 19:41 <Greystone>: Well, I don't think I'll kill it in one blow(?), but at least I must surely land my hit and succeed in my epic maneuver.19:41 <Victor>: Of course not a one hit kill, but you make your landing19:41 <Victor>: That was the aim19:41 <Greystone>: I always trust my luck. But only in games.19:42 <Tikvah_GMing>: You leap straight onto its shoulders, dealing a massive blow. The creature flickers, and becomes partially visible to everyone.19:43 <Victor>: Roll initiative, or do we get a surprise round?19:43 <Tikvah_GMing>: Everyone, roll initiative.19:43 <Alan>: !roll d2019:43 <Dicebot>: Alan: 1519:43 <Victor>: !roll d2019:43 <Dicebot>: Victor: 119:43 <Victor>: That's when to get it19:43 <Victor>: No harm19:43 <Greystone>: "Visitor!"19:43 <Greystone>: !roll d2019:43 <Dicebot>: Greystone: 919:46 <Greystone>: Greystone was going to invite the archer to the ledge, but you came up on your own. Good job.19:46 <Victor>: Your remark about shooting down made good sense19:46 <Tikvah_GMing>: Turn Order: Alan, Greystone, Ogre, Victor.19:46 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alan, your turn.19:46 <Alan>: I take a whack at the thing if I can19:46 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll for it.19:47 <Alan>: !roll d20 1 effort to hit19:47 <Dicebot>: Alan, 1 effort to hit: 1619:48 <Tikvah_GMing>: You turn and deliver a blow. The creature falls back with a grunt. Greystone, your turn.19:49 <Tikvah_GMing>: The ogre comes into full view, injured beyond its capacity for camaflouge.19:49 <Tikvah_GMing>: A 6 foot tall creature with large tusks and a scowling face. Its hulking frame is clothed in mildewed armour. It has a bald head with a large scar running across it. It carries a large club.19:50 <Tikvah_GMing>: Greystone, your turn.19:50 <Greystone>: So I was trying to strike a blow before landing. You can picture that right? But I seem to have landed on it... Am I still on top of it?19:51 <Tikvah_GMing>: No.19:51 <Tikvah_GMing>: Unless you were trying to be.19:51 Greystone does a boring, classic, I'm going to try to hit the thing with my sword and see if it hurts it.19:51 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll an attack.19:52 <Greystone>: !roll trained sword-technique19:52 <Greystone>: !roll d2019:52 <Dicebot>: Greystone: 1919:52 <Greystone>: ...19:52 <Tikvah_GMing>: Hmph.19:52 <Greystone>: Greystone is clearly a killer fighter.19:52 <Tikvah_GMing>: You give it a good slash.19:53 <Tikvah_GMing>: The ogre raises its club and swings at Alan's head. Alan, roll a dodge.19:54 <Alan>: !roll d20 trained 1 effort19:54 <Dicebot>: Alan, trained 1 effort: 219:54 <Victor>: Still doesn't have a kismet 19:55 <Tikvah_GMing>: Lucky for you, you don't have a kismet. Unluckily, you don't dodge the massive club. Take 4 damage.19:55 <Victor>: -armor19:55 <Tikvah_GMing>: Victor's turn.19:56 Victor shoots at it with the crossbow19:56 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll an attack.19:56 <Victor>: !roll d20 trained19:56 <Dicebot>: Victor, trained: 1819:56 <Tikvah_GMing>: You hit. The ogre is looking very battered.19:57 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alan, your turn.19:57 <Alan>: I take a swing at it19:57 <Alan>: !roll d20 1 effort to hit19:57 <Dicebot>: Alan, 1 effort to hit: 2019:57 <Tikvah_GMing>: Cool.19:58 <Victor>: You get a nat 20 and you get a nat 20!19:58 <Victor>: (We've all had one) 19:58 Woody joined #Gowers19:58 Alan left #Gowers19:58 <Tikvah_GMing>: Would you like your extra effect?19:58 <Tikvah_GMing>: Or just do some extra damage?19:58 <Woody>: I'll take an extra turn if it isn't dead from this one19:58 <Woody>: Or damage, I suppose19:58 <Tikvah_GMing>: It has fallen, but it's still alive.19:59 <Tikvah_GMing>: What would you like to do?19:59 <Woody>: Can it speak?20:00 <Tikvah_GMing>: Not in any language you can understand.20:00 <Greystone>: I hope it can't. I don't like jumping on sapient creatures without warning.20:01 <Woody>: Alright, I finish it off20:01 <Victor>: And you change your nick20:01 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll for it.20:01 <Tikvah_GMing>: Killing it, not changing your name.20:01 <Victor>: Lol20:02 <Greystone>: lol, make him roll to change.20:02 <Victor>: If he crit fails it changes to something dumb20:02 <Greystone>: And if he fails then we have Woody in the cave instead of Alan.20:02 Woody is now known as Alan20:02 <Alan>: !roll d20 1 effort to damage, and I assume asset for it being disabled20:02 <Dicebot>: Alan, 1 effort to damage, and I assume asset for it being disabled: 420:02 <Tikvah_GMing>: You clumsily slice off its head.20:02 <Tikvah_GMing>: End of turns.20:02 Victor descends the ladder20:03 <Victor>: Had I experienced one of these before or just heard of them?20:03 <Tikvah_GMing>: You heard a detailed account of one, but you haven't met one yourself.20:04 Victor harvests the tusks then20:04 <Greystone>: Does this creature bleed?20:04 <Alan>: Is the club any good?20:04 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yes.20:05 <Alan>: I examine it20:05 <Tikvah_GMing>: A large oak club, studded with stone spikes. (heavy, 6d)20:05 <Victor>: Cool20:05 <Greystone>: I pull a cloth from my blackpack and clean my sword.20:05 <Alan>: Alright, folks, we got loot!20:05 <Alan>: I loot any treasure the creature happens to be carrying20:07 <Tikvah_GMing>: There is a fist sized, glowing orb that seems to be made of glass. Inside you see colours swirling around.20:07 <Tikvah_GMing>: He's also carrying some small stones.20:07 <Alan>: Regular stones?20:08 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yes.20:08 <Tikvah_GMing>: Similar to the one that hit you earlier.20:08 Greystone grabs Alan's wrist and stares at the orb he's holding.20:08 <Victor>: "Gentle with that."20:09 Greystone says nothing as he stares into the colours.20:09 <Victor>: Do I recognize what it is?20:09 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll a knowledge check.20:10 <Victor>: !roll d2020:10 <Dicebot>: Victor: 420:10 <Tikvah_GMing>: No, you don't know anything about it.20:10 Victor goes to examine the door then20:10 <Alan>: Do I know anything?20:10 <Alan>: !roll d2020:10 <Dicebot>: Alan: 420:10 <Tikvah_GMing>: Heh20:10 <Tikvah_GMing>: No.20:10 <Tikvah_GMing>: Which door? The large, heavy one, or the smaller ones?20:11 <Victor>: The banded one20:11 <Alan>: I check out one of the smaller ones20:13 <Tikvah_GMing>: It's around ten feet high. You see no handle or key hole, but there is a iron shutter a few inches across. On either side of the door are fist-sized, smooth holes.20:13 <Greystone>: I check out the other smaller one.20:13 <Tikvah_GMing>: The small doors are unremarkable. They have handles, and don't appear to be locked.20:14 <Alan>: I carefully open mine20:14 <Tikvah_GMing>: It appears to lead to a bedroom. It has a large, sturdy bed, and a lantern. Some furs that have crumbled to dust lay in one corner.20:15 <Alan>: I loot the room20:16 <Tikvah_GMing>: The only valuable thing you find is one silver coin, hidden in the furs.20:16 <Greystone>: Okay, NOW the loot does not divide even.20:16 <Victor>: Was just going to say that!20:17 <Greystone>: Great minds think alike.20:17 <Victor>: Oh, no, I was going to say it is even now20:18 <Tikvah_GMing>: Well, 15 from the chest plus one makes 16, which divides evenly by 4. The number of people on this mission.20:18 <Tikvah_GMing>: If you include Ookook.20:18 <Victor>: Right20:19 <Greystone>: Well, we won't worry about that till we clear this dungeon.20:20 <Tikvah_GMing>: Anyway, what are you guys doing?20:20 <Victor>: I'm looking at a door20:20 <Alan>: I search for clues as to what's been sleeping here20:20 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll for it.20:21 <Alan>: !roll d20 specialized perception20:21 <Dicebot>: Alan, specialized perception: 320:21 <Tikvah_GMing>: Victor, do you want to do anything with the door you looked at?20:21 <Victor>: No I'm just waiting for them20:21 <Greystone>: We're kinda waiting on the results from Alan's investigation.20:21 <Victor>: You could be checking your room meanwhile20:22 <Tikvah_GMing>: You don't find anything enlightening. Something large, ogre-sized, maybe?20:22 <Greystone>: I open my door, carefully.20:23 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see a a room 50 feet across with no apparant bottom. There is a table-sized ledge in front of the door. About 50 feet above you there is a glowing orb hung from a rope. The rope goes through a pulley system and you can see that it is tied to a ring on the far wall.20:23 Greystone calls over to Alan, "Hey, try fitting the orb in one of the holes next to the main door."20:24 Greystone then turns his attention back to his room.20:24 <Alan>: I attempt to do so20:25 <Tikvah_GMing>: The orb fits perfectly, giving off a faint whirring sound as the light inside vanishes.20:25 Greystone stands there, pondering.20:26 <Greystone>: "Check this out, Archer."20:26 Victor goes to Greystone's room20:26 <Tikvah_GMing>: Victor, the shutter on the main door can be slid aside, letting you see through.20:26 <Tikvah_GMing>: If you're interested.20:26 <Victor>: Oh, sure20:27 <Greystone>: Lol, I like how we each have a door. Bookworm, get back to your door.20:27 <Tikvah_GMing>: Through the shutter you saw a monstrous three-headed lion pacing around a large stone chest. 20:27 <Alan>: I toss a flare down the hole20:27 <Victor>: Where did you get a flare?20:27 <Alan>: I assumed we all had them. Was that just you?20:27 <Victor>: Yes it's my monster hunting gear20:27 <Tikvah_GMing>: The flare goes down as far as you can see, but doesn't hit bottom.20:28 <Victor>: You can use the one on the floor though20:28 <Alan>: Alright, the info isn't helpful anyway20:29 <Greystone>: Is there anything else on the far wall, or just the solitary ring?20:29 <Tikvah_GMing>: There's some spikes.20:29 <Greystone>: Spikes?20:30 <Tikvah_GMing>: Bout 6 inches long, sticking out at regular intervals all over the wall. They look rusted and unsteady.20:30 <Victor>: Okay20:30 <Victor>: How far from this door to the exit?20:30 <Tikvah_GMing>: Which door?20:30 <Victor>: The one I'm at20:30 <Tikvah_GMing>: And by exit, do you mean the ladder?20:30 <Victor>: Yes20:31 <Alan>: I attempt to lasso the orb with my rope20:31 <Tikvah_GMing>: They are on opposite ends of the stadium sized room.20:31 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alan, roll for it.20:31 <Alan>: !roll d2020:31 <Dicebot>: Alan: 620:31 <Victor>: Distance?20:32 <Tikvah_GMing>: 360 feet.20:32 <Victor>: Hmmm20:32 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alan, you miss the orb.20:32 <Victor>: I go back up on the ledge and walk halfway between the ladder and this door20:33 <Victor>: And set down a marked bolt20:33 <Victor>: Then return to the door20:33 <Tikvah_GMing>: OK20:33 <Victor>: "I think I'm going to shoot at this thing, k guys?"20:33 Victor notches his crossbow20:34 <Alan>: The lion, you mean?20:34 <Victor>: Ya20:35 Victor waits a moment to see if they want to object or prepare themselves20:36 <Greystone>: How is the orb attached to the rope?20:36 <Tikvah_GMing>: The orb it in a net at the end of the rope.20:36 Victor takes aim20:36 <Alan>: I prepare, in case the lion breaks down the door20:37 <Victor>: Are you next to me?20:39 <Alan>: Sure20:39 <Greystone>: "I'd rather we didn't have a raging lion clawing the other side of the door when we try to open it."20:39 <Victor>: "That's why we should kill it before we open the door."20:39 <Victor>: To Alan: "You can get in on this too if you want to get out your pistol."20:40 <Alan>: "Will do"20:40 <Victor>: "Here"20:40 Victor gives Alan the spare Greystone gave him 20:40 <Victor>: "You can do two"20:41 <Alan>: "Sweet"20:41 <Greystone>: "If you think your li'l arrows can get the job done, then go ahead."20:41 <Victor>: "Little arrows pile up son."20:41 <Victor>: "I'm going to stand here shooting until it goes down, was the plan."20:41 <Greystone>: "So do archers bones."20:42 <Victor>: "I'm not understanding."20:42 <Victor>: "I can keep attacking it; it can't return the favor."20:43 Victor unnotches the bow20:43 Victor examines the door again20:43 <Greystone>: "I gave you my go ahead. But first, do you think you can shoot through this net here without cutting the net open?"20:44 <Victor>: "Just a moment."20:45 <Victor>: Does the door open in or out?20:45 <Tikvah_GMing>: In.20:46 <Victor>: Does it look like the lion could somehow open it?20:46 <Tikvah_GMing>: Not that you can see.20:46 <Victor>: "We'll come back to this."20:47 Victor goes to Greystone 20:47 <Victor>: "Could I what now?"20:49 <Greystone>: "If you aren't afraid of slicing it open and sending the orb tumbling to depths unknown, then could you tie a rope to an arrow, and send it through the holes in the net there? So if we pulled on the rope it would be hooked on the barbs?"20:50 <Greystone>: Barbs of the arrow.20:50 <Tikvah_GMing>: The orb is above you, meaning above the ledge.20:50 <Greystone>: Ah. That simplifies things.20:51 <Greystone>: Scratch that then.20:51 <Tikvah_GMing>: Just make sure it doesn't smash.20:51 <Greystone>: "Can you slice the rope over there with an arrow?"20:52 Greystone gestures to the rope tied to the ring on the other side.20:52 <Victor>: "Possibly, but I wouldn't put money on it."20:52 <Victor>: What effect would this have?20:53 <Tikvah_GMing>: The orb will fall. If no-one catches it, it will smash on the floor.20:54 <Greystone>: WE'LL CATCH IT.20:54 <Victor>: Is there no way to pull the orb side down?20:54 <Greystone>: I wish we had the monkey.20:55 <Victor>: We're not rushing into this20:55 <Tikvah_GMing>: I suppose Moontide wouldn't mind if Ookook were to help you catch an orb20:55 <Greystone>: Can I hack through the main door?20:55 <Tikvah_GMing>: If the lion hasn't gotten out, I doubt you could get in.20:56 <Greystone>: Maybe it hasn't tried.20:56 <Victor>: I can shoot a teleportation arrow inside20:57 <Tikvah_GMing>: If you want to be trapped in with a large lion.20:57 <Victor>: After it's dead obviously20:57 <Victor>: I assumed he was talking about what we do if the orb breaks and the door is inoperable. I could still get in.20:58 <Greystone>: Alan, want to try lassoing that thing again?20:59 <Victor>: "The lion needs defeated before we deal with this either way; and if it breaks out somehow to fight back the problem is solved already."20:59 Victor returns to the big door21:00 <Greystone>: "Well, if you're not the idea sort, then just start shooting."21:00 <Victor>: "That IS an idea"21:00 <Victor>: "The best one so far put forth"21:00 <Alan>: "Sure, why not?"21:00 <Alan>: I attempt the lasso again21:00 <Alan>: !roll d2021:00 <Dicebot>: Alan: 1521:01 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alan, you snag the orb.21:01 <Greystone>: "But ask after its health first. It's only polite." 21:01 <Victor>: "Your idea is open the door and let it come fight us."21:01 <Victor>: "Mine is take it down while it can't attack back. It either works flawlessly or somehow breaks out, which solves the door question."21:01 <Victor>: "If it doesn't we still can deal with the orb to get in."21:01 <Victor>: "Of course we'll try talking first, I'm planning ahead."21:01 <Greystone>: "I have no fear of it."21:01 <Greystone>: "I've dealt with worse."21:02 <Greystone>: "Of course, it could also move to an unshootable angle."21:02 <Victor>: "It's not about fear, it's about best chances of victory."21:02 <Greystone>: "I prefer fair to preferable."21:02 <Victor>: "That's honourable against soldiers, but against a beast I don't care."21:02 <Alan>: Okay, OokOok climbs the rope and grabs the orb, yaaaaay21:03 <Alan>: I'm with Victor21:03 Alan takes a shot at the lion21:03 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alan, roll for it.21:03 <Alan>: I assume speed effort doesn't have an effect on range attacks?21:04 <Tikvah_GMing>: I think it does, actually.21:04 <Alan>: Sweet21:04 <Alan>: !roll d20 1 effort to hit21:04 <Dicebot>: Alan, 1 effort to hit: 1321:04 <Greystone>: "Hey, ask how it fares first!"21:04 <Alan>: !roll d20 1 effort to damage21:04 <Dicebot>: Alan, 1 effort to damage: 121:04 <Victor>: I thought you did that!21:04 <Victor>: WAIT21:04 <Alan>: Uh-oh21:05 <Victor>: I was definitely going to talk first21:05 <Victor>: But thought Greystone did instead21:06 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alan, you miss the hole in the door all-together. The bullet bounces off the metal part of the door and hits you. Take 2 damage.21:06 <Greystone>: Things with three heads tend to have sapience.21:06 <Victor>: Yes21:06 <Greystone>: Though not for sure.21:06 <Tikvah_GMing>: The lion looks in your direction at the loud noise.21:06 <Alan>: What about the first shot?21:07 <Alan>: I have two guns, thus took two shots21:07 <Tikvah_GMing>: Your shot missed.21:07 <Greystone>: What can we say? He's from Celtica. We can't expect much with firearms. 21:07 <Victor>: "Can you speak, creature?"21:07 <Tikvah_GMing>: It looks in your direction, but doesn't say anything. It seems to be listening though.21:08 <Victor>: "Can you understand at least?"21:08 <Tikvah_GMing>: It gets up and walks towards you. "What good does it do to know?"21:08 Victor sighs and lowers the bow21:09 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Aren't you just going to try and kill me, like every other 'hero'?"21:09 <Greystone>: "His sentence structure leaves something to be desired."21:09 <Victor>: "Are you going to kill /me/?"21:10 <Tikvah_GMing>: "With you on that side of the door and me here? No."21:10 <Alan>: OOC: I wish Moontide and his diplomacy were here21:10 Greystone nudges Victor. "You forgot the 'try'"21:11 <Victor>: "What if I came in there?"21:12 <Tikvah_GMing>: "That all depends on your actions."21:12 <Victor>: "That's a good answer."21:12 <Victor>: Do I recognize this kind of creature?21:12 Greystone waits for Alan to ask what is in the chest.21:12 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll a creature knowledge check21:12 <Victor>: !roll d20 asset21:12 <Dicebot>: Victor, asset: 1721:15 <Tikvah_GMing>: It's a rare creature, sometimes known as a Dragon-swallower. They used to be commonly used as guard animals by an ancient Cyclops empire that existed in this area.21:15 <Victor>: "What do you call yourself?"21:16 <Tikvah_GMing>: "I don't care to have someone like you speaking my name." He looks mildly offended.21:17 <Victor>: "As you like, but I asked in respect. I didn't feel calling you 'creature' is proper."21:17 <Tikvah_GMing>: "hmmph. What are you humans doing here?"21:17 <Greystone>: He knew what it was? Now I think Victor was just in a hurry to shoot it before we two could learn that it can talk, and is now putting on a front of being reasonable.21:18 <Victor>: You don't know if I know what is is21:18 <Tikvah_GMing>: To be fair, he didn't know he knew. 21:18 <Victor>: And I said I was going to talk first already21:18 <Greystone>: Seriously, check what your character knows BEFORE suggesting we shoot it.21:19 <Victor>: I was about to21:19 <Victor>: Alan shot21:19 <Greystone>: Tsk tsk Alan.21:19 <Greystone>: You took the suggestion too fast.21:19 <Alan>: You said to!21:20 <Victor>: No just to prepare to; I was going to try identifying and talking first21:20 <Victor>: "We're just looking around."21:20 <Victor>: "Exploring old ruins is a... hobby."21:20 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Well then. You've looked. Now you can leave."21:20 <Victor>: "We can't just yet."21:20 <Greystone>: Well, this is where it gets awkward. Because our jobs is technically to kill him right? 21:20 <Victor>: No it isn't21:20 <Victor>: Oooh21:20 <Greystone>: What was the exact wording of the mission?21:22 <Greystone>: "Travel to the Ogre's mouth. Ensure that it is not inhabited by wild beasts. Search for the Trillsword artifact said to be hidden there."21:22 <Victor>: This isn't a wild beast21:22 <Greystone>: 1. Does he count as wild?21:22 <Victor>: The ogre was21:22 <Greystone>: 2. I bet the wachamacallit is in that chest in there.21:22 <Victor>: Clearly21:22 <Greystone>: And he's probably guarding it.21:23 <Victor>: Obviously21:23 <Greystone>: Or he could just be hanging around his old home or something.21:23 <Greystone>: Hm.21:24 <Victor>: Either way he doesn't seem to want to fight if it's not necessary21:24 <Victor>: But taking the artifact is likely what constitutes necessary21:24 <Greystone>: Which might involve fighting him.21:24 <Alan>: "Forgive my savagry" I plead. "I am afraid I shot out of haste. The creatures that we have encountered in this place thus far have been hostile. It was wrong for me to assume that you were also."21:24 <Tikvah_GMing>: "hmm. I suppose it can be forgiven since you caused no damage."21:25 <Greystone>: (To him.)21:25 <Victor>: "Indeed, we certainly do not want to harm such a majestic beast."21:25 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Then why are you still here?"21:26 <Victor>: "We're looking for something."21:26 <Tikvah_GMing>: "..."21:26 <Victor>: "..."21:26 <Victor>: "An artifact."21:26 <Tikvah_GMing>: "That does not concern me."21:27 <Victor>: "Wonderful."21:28 Victor moves away from the grate for a moment and shrugs at Greystone21:28 <Victor>: "It might be in there with you."21:29 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Explain."21:30 <Victor>: "Well we just know it's said to be in the area."21:30 <Victor>: "We haven't found it out here."21:32 <Victor>: "May we inquire what is in that chest?"21:32 <Victor>: Which head is speaking by the way?21:33 <Tikvah_GMing>: It changes.21:33 <Victor>: Awesome!21:33 <Victor>: That is exactly what I hoped you would say21:33 <Tikvah_GMing>: "This is the last and greatest work of my late master, the finest smith in the empire."21:34 <Tikvah_GMing>: "If it were to be obtained by humans, the empire would fall."21:34 <Victor>: "Ah..."21:34 <Victor>: He refers to the Cyclops empire?...21:34 <Victor>: What's the history here21:35 <Greystone>: Someone ask him if the work has a name.21:35 <Victor>: I'll get there21:35 <Victor>: I have a plan21:36 <Tikvah_GMing>: There was a Cyclops empire that stood in these mountains about 500 years ago. It was consumed by corruption in its later years, and it quickly fell.21:36 <Victor>: "The Cyclops empire?"21:37 <Tikvah_GMing>: "What else would I be referring to? The measly human countries bordering us hardly warrant the name."21:37 <Victor>: "But great guardian, we have been sent to retrieve the Trillsword *by* a Cyclops."21:38 <Greystone>: [!]21:38 <Tikvah_GMing>: "There's no way a cyclops would send a human."21:39 <Victor>: "The world has changed since you were last outside."21:39 Greystone is not saying anything, staring at Victor.21:39 <Tikvah_GMing>: "If a cyclops did send you, who were they? You have to at least know their name."21:41 <Victor>: He was a blacksmith right?21:41 <Alan>: "Oddmund"21:41 <Victor>: I know his name21:42 <Greystone>: Shut up Alan.21:42 <Victor>: I wanted to refer to him properly21:43 <Victor>: While we're taking I'm trying to take in the room21:43 <Tikvah_GMing>: It looks bare, besides the chest and the lion.21:43 <Greystone>: He was in the blacksmith shop, getting his sword sharpened.21:44 <Victor>: Getting, or sharpening himself?21:44 <Victor>: Doesn't matter now21:45 <Victor>: Any reaction from the lion?21:45 <Alan>: He was *at* the blacksmith, he wasn't himself the smith21:45 <Greystone>: Oddmund was described as having only one eye... set directly in the centre of his forehead, giving him a cyclops look. Are we sure he IS a cyclops?21:46 <Victor>: Does it matter?21:46 <Tikvah_GMing>: "What are you whispering about over there?"21:46 <Victor>: We're not whispering21:46 <Greystone>: I didn't say anything.21:46 <Alan>: I said his name to the lion, to clarify21:46 <Victor>: Yes21:47 <Greystone>: Anything I say is in quotes.21:47 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Go away. I know when someone is trying to trick me."21:48 <Victor>: "Do you?"21:48 <Greystone>: I guess he knows no Oddmund.21:48 <Victor>: "I have no trickery in my intentions, at present."21:49 <Victor>: "You asked a question and we answered."21:50 <Tikvah_GMing>: "You answer with lies."21:50 <Victor>: "We certainly do not. You asked who sent us."21:51 <Tikvah_GMing>: "I'm not handing over the artifact that will lead to the empire's destruction."21:51 <Victor>: "Of course not."21:51 <Greystone>: Wasn't the empire destroyed some ages back?21:51 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yes.21:51 <Greystone>: Should we tell him this?21:52 <Greystone>: He would likely not buy it, true as it is.21:52 <Tikvah_GMing>: "If you aren't going to take it, then leave."21:53 <Victor>: "We can't leave yet, as I said, but we will cease pestering you for the moment."21:53 <Tikvah_GMing>: "You must be skilled to make it this far into the empire without getting caught, but if you don't leave soon you will certainly die."21:53 <Greystone>: "..."21:53 <Victor>: "I thank you for the words of warning."21:54 <Greystone>: Take it? Does he mean try to take it?21:54 Victor closes the grate and motions the others from the door21:54 Victor walks toward the ladder21:55 Greystone trudges after Victor21:55 <Victor>: "Well."21:55 Victor puts his hand out for the spare pistol21:56 <Victor>: "We have a few options."21:56 <Alan>: I give it to Victor21:56 <Victor>: "I don't know which would be most effective with the stubborn creature."21:56 Victor rebags the pistol21:57 <Alan>: "Care to explain?"21:57 <Victor>: "We could keep talking with it, try to find something that would convince it we can be trusted, keeping up the illusion of the time it thinks it's in."21:58 <Victor>: "We could try to shatter its whole reality and convince it the empire is no more and it no longer needs to keep guard."21:58 <Victor>: "We could see if Oddmund can come here with us to prove our mission."21:59 <Victor>: "Or we could go back to Plan A and shoot it down."21:59 Victor stops at the ladder and crosses his arms22:00 <Alan>: "I hate to harm such a majestic creature"22:00 <Victor>: "Indeed."22:00 <Victor>: "But it may prove simply unwilling to be moved."22:01 <Tikvah_GMing>: Option 5: go back to the castle and say the artifact wasn't here. 22:01 <Victor>: Not an option22:01 <Victor>: Thought about it; left it out on purpose22:02 <Greystone>: Option six: I'm with the monkey, I vote we go find higher paying jobs.22:04 <Greystone>: That would relieve us of the situation.22:05 <Victor>: "Well I don't think there's a time pressing on this," motioning to the door, "we should determine some angle we're fairly sure will work on it before trying again."22:06 <Victor>: "Shall we look around some more? We may find something we can show it or tell it about that would prove the empire fell."22:07 <Victor>: "Actually."22:07 <Victor>: "Hmm."22:07 Victor starts up the ladder22:07 <Greystone>: So can Okook climb the rope and retrieve the orb? We may want it. 22:07 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yes. He did that.22:08 <Victor>: Oh wait22:08 <Victor>: How far back to the portal?22:08 <Tikvah_GMing>: About three hours.22:08 <Victor>: Dang 22:08 <Tikvah_GMing>: There is a simple solution.22:09 <Victor>: To talk to the guards there?22:09 <Victor>: Do we have a phone?22:10 <Alan>: I search the bedroom for evidence the empire has fallen22:10 <Tikvah_GMing>: There is nothing besides the coin from earlier.22:10 <Victor>: Nicephore's Doubt kismet would be helpful here22:11 <Alan>: "We could ask the creature why he thinks we're lying about Oddmund"22:11 <Alan>: (OOC: I have a feeling that's his master)22:12 <Victor>: Why wouldn't he come get this himself then22:12 <Greystone>: { } = OOC22:13 <Greystone>: {You think ODDMUND is his master? How long do cyclops's live?}22:13 <Tikvah_GMing>: {About 150 years.}22:13 <Alan>: {It's just a hunch}22:14 <Victor>: Well I really want to talk to the guys at the portal but I'm sure we're not going all the way back there22:14 <Victor>: So22:14 <Victor>: We should break22:14 <Greystone>: How long ago exactly did the empire fall?22:15 <Tikvah_GMing>: Bout 400 years ago.22:15 <Greystone>: Are there still cyclopes around?22:15 <Tikvah_GMing>: A few.22:15 <Greystone>: Well, we should.22:15 <Alan>: Agreed 22:19 <Victor>: This was a really fun one I thought, good job Tikvah 22:19 <Tikvah_GMing>: Thanks.22:19 <Victor>: I thought you did great with the descriptions22:19 <Tikvah_GMing>: I admit, the Ogre was supposed to be harder. 22:20 <Victor>: Heh22:20 <Greystone>: Heh.22:21 <Tikvah_GMing>: Oh, everyone gets 1 XP and 1 to give away.

I give my XP to bookworm for his tact in dealing with the lion creature.

_________________Photobucket was evil and made third-party display a premium feature. Then they increased the size and obnoxiousness of the placeholder advertisement encouraging me to upgrade. Thus, this text signature.

Continued from Part 1, Part 2The party attempts to persuade the guardian to let them complete their mission.

Quote:

17:52 <bookworm>: Is Skid playing?17:52 <Skid>: After you finish up this mission.17:52 <bookworm>: Okay cool17:53 <bookworm>: Cause I didn't get the log up yet, if you were jumping in here17:53 <Tikvah>: Well, Moontide needs a recap.17:53 <bookworm>: Ah right17:54 <Tikvah>: If you want to fill him in while I finish preparing for tonight's mission.17:54 <bookworm>: I'll copy him the last several bits17:54 <Moontide>: We can just say that I hit my head and suffered amnesia, for an in world justification. 17:54 <bookworm>: But you the player still need to know what happened18:08 <Moontide>: I have read it18:08 bookworm is now known as Victor18:08 Moontide is now known as Ookook18:09 Woody is now known as Alan18:09 Tikvah is now known as Tikvah_GMing18:11 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alright, Victor, Ookook, Alan and Greystone are discussing what to tell the giant, deluded lion.18:11 <Victor>: Yes18:12 <Ookook>: "What was the exact command that your masters gave you?"18:12 <Victor>: We're not talking to it anymore at the moment18:12 <Ookook>: Oh.18:12 <Victor>: We'll go back after we think things over18:13 <Victor>: We've moved back to the exit of this room18:13 <Ookook>: "I think we should attempt to rules lawyer our way through"18:13 Ookook says quietly enough that the lion doesn't hear18:14 <Victor>: "That was my initial plan, but the creature began to try my patience."18:14 <Victor>: "It seems to be stubbornly immobile."18:14 <Victor>: "At least without additional prodding."18:14 <Ookook>: If we can learn the exact rule, I can argue that I am not a human.18:15 <Ookook>: Thus, it should not prevent me from taking the artifact.18:15 <Alan>: Ookook is a diplomat....18:15 <Victor>: "That crossed my mind, but I assume you working with us is just as bad to him."18:16 <Victor>: "It's worth a try on round two though."18:16 <Ookook>: "I would guess that he follows some very exact set of rules,"18:16 <Victor>: "We can hope."18:16 <Ookook>: "And if we could learn that set of rules we could by pass them."18:17 <Victor>: "It didn't care that we're on orders from a cyclops though, so I have doubts how flexible it is in that regard."18:17 <Ookook>: <what is the healing tech in this world? Can lost limbs be easily replaced?>18:17 <Tikvah_GMing>: <Maybe, if you're a millionare.>18:17 <Victor>: "But if talking it in circles is all we have."18:18 <Ookook>: I think it doesn't believe that we are on orders from a cyclops.18:18 <Ookook>: So rules lawyering would be a different tactic.18:18 <Victor>: "Doesn't believe, doesn't care, same thing at this point"18:18 <Ookook>: "Is it okay if I try it?"18:19 <Victor>: "Of course; when we go back to it."18:19 <Victor>: "I don't know if we should just yet."18:19 <Victor>: "I'd like the backup plan set first, if talking doesn't get us anywhere"18:20 <Alan>: "If the creature just handed the artifact over to the first non-human to ask, it's long gone."18:20 <Victor>: "I'd like to find some information that would make it more willing to believe or at least trust us."18:20 <Ookook>: "I suggest running as a good all purpose backup plan"18:21 <Ookook>: "The lion is guarding, and thus won't pursue us"18:22 <Victor>: It's also locked in a room. Running isn't the problem, I was referring to fight vs talk18:23 <Victor>: "Here's what I want to know from the rest of you..."18:24 <Ookook>: "Yes?"18:25 <Victor>: "We go back, and first approach the monkey tries to reason with it."18:25 <Victor>: "What we need to decide is if that line doesn't go anywhere, which do we try next. Do we play up to its dilusions and try to convince it we're on his side of the war and trustworthy?"18:25 <Victor>: "Or do we go at trying to make it realize the truth; how much time has passed, the war is over, and it can leave now."18:26 <Ookook>: I think we should go with the second option.18:27 <Ookook>: Because we already tried lying, and it didn't work.18:28 <Victor>: "We haven't lied about anything."18:28 <Ookook>: We lied that we were from the Cyclopes.18:29 <Victor>: No18:29 <Victor>: "We were sent to get this by a cyclops."18:29 <Victor>: "And that's exactly what I told it."18:30 <Ookook>: And a cyclops didn't send us, I thought.18:30 <Victor>: "One sent me. I thought you were there too"18:30 <Ookook>: Unless the Count is missing an eye or something.18:30 <Tikvah_GMing>: Well technically... I guess you could say so.18:30 <Alan>: Oddmund, who gave us our mission, was a cyclops18:30 <Tikvah_GMing>: Oddmund has one eye.18:31 <Ookook>: Oh. I had forgotten.18:32 <Ookook>: Are we ready then?18:32 <Victor>: "Anyway, if no one really has any ideas that seem more probable to succeed we can have another go at talking to the brick wall."18:32 <Victor>: "I have one other angle to try, then he's all yours."18:32 <Ookook>: okay. You can go.18:32 <Victor>: "Any additional thoughts Alan?"18:33 Victor looks at him hopefully18:34 <Alan>: "I think we have to ask the significance of the name Oddmund. He seemed to clam up as soon as we said he had sent us."18:35 <Victor>: "Good note. We can go there as well at some point."18:35 <Victor>: "But I was hoping for ideas other than more talking."18:35 Victor returns to the door and reopens the vent18:35 <Tikvah_GMing>: The lion appears to be sleeping.18:36 Victor sighs18:36 <Victor>: "Great guardian, please forgive another intrusion."18:36 <Tikvah_GMing>: It sighs.18:36 <Tikvah_GMing>: "You're still here."18:37 <Victor>: "Believe me, I share your..."18:37 <Victor>: "..."18:37 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Boredom?"18:37 <Victor>: "Quite so."18:37 <Victor>: "But I was wondering if it means anything to you that we have the key to that chest?"18:38 <Tikvah_GMing>: "It means that you are more capable than I origionally thought."18:38 <Victor>: "But not that we are intended, or otherwise worthy to open it?"18:39 <Tikvah_GMing>: "I admire my late master, but he was never good at keeping secrets. For all I know he could have left it at a pawn shop before he died."18:40 <Victor>: "I see."18:40 <Victor>: "May we inquire to his name by the way?"18:41 <Victor>: "I'm curious if we have heard tales of him; he must have been a great figure to possess such a mighty artifact."18:41 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Donar."18:42 <Victor>: Does that ring any bells?18:42 <Tikvah_GMing>: History knowledge check.18:43 <Victor>: !roll d20 background asset if applicable18:43 <Dicebot>: Victor, background asset if applicable: 1418:43 <Tikvah_GMing>: You haven't heard of him, but it sounds like a cyclops' name.18:44 <Victor>: Can I tell if he's being truthful?18:44 <Tikvah_GMing>: He seems to be.18:45 <Victor>: "Well, my friend would like to have a few words with you if we may impose just a bit longer."18:45 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Fine."18:46 Victor steps aside18:46 <Ookook>: "What was the exact rule that your master instructed you with?"18:46 <Tikvah_GMing>: "He told me not to let the artifact out of this room or the empire would fall."18:48 Arkan joined #Gowers18:49 <Tikvah_GMing>: Arkan!18:49 <Victor>: The monkey is talking to the lion18:49 <Tikvah_GMing>: We haven't accomplished anything.18:49 Arkan is now known as Greystone18:50 <Victor>: We couldn't think of anything better than continuing trying to convince it to trust us18:50 <Greystone>: Well, good thing I got here then.18:50 <Ookook>: "So that command is conditional"18:51 <Ookook>: "Command work by you making sure that what you do doesn't make what your master says false."18:52 <Ookook>: "What he said is logically equivalent to 'the artifact is in this room OR the empire has fallen'"18:52 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Speak sense, tiny creature."18:53 <Ookook>: "Aren't you bored?"18:53 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Of this conversation? Yes."18:54 <Ookook>: "What do you plan to do when we leave? Just wait here for the rest of time? Maybe you might want to have some fun."18:54 <Tikvah_GMing>: "If I let the artifact leave, thousands will die. 'fun' has nothing to do with it."18:55 Victor taps in18:55 Ookook give the floor to Victor18:56 <Victor>: "Would it be the case then that, if our taking the artifact in fact was *not* a danger, you would not be opposed to its removal?"18:57 <Tikvah_GMing>: "I suppose."18:58 <Victor>: "Ah now we are making some progress. I'm afraid I had misunderstood your motivations."18:59 <Victor>: "So can you explain to us then why exactly you're so sure our taking it is a bad thing?"19:00 <Tikvah_GMing>: The lion sighs and you can hear one of its heads mutter about the denseness of humans.19:00 Victor does the same, internally19:00 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Humans are the enemies of the cyclops empire. If I allow it to fall into your hands, it will spell certain doom to everyone in the country."19:01 <Ookook>: "I'm not a human."19:02 <Tikvah_GMing>: "You think that will make me feel better?"19:02 <Tikvah_GMing>: "The humans could easily overpower you and take the artifact."19:02 <Victor>: "Yes, but *why* is it certain doom? How can one sword be so significant?"19:03 <Tikvah_GMing>: "If you think it's a sword, maybe you know less than I thought. It's a magical device that allows you to amplify your abilities many times over."19:04 Greystone shifts at this revelation.19:05 <Tikvah_GMing>: "I hope even your feeble brains can understand why this could doom the country."19:05 <Victor>: "Indeed..."19:05 <Ookook>: "Then wouldn't the swords power guarantee that I won't be over powered by the humans?"19:06 Greystone mutters under his breath, "It just said it wasn't a sword."19:08 <Ookook>: "My diplomatic skills don't always extend to listening comprehension."19:08 <Tikvah_GMing>: "It is only partly complete. You would need some basic smelting equipment to put it in working order."19:08 Alan pulls Victor aside19:08 <Victor>: "Well in light of this information, we have a good news bad news situation."19:08 Victor is pulled19:08 <Victor>: "Oh excuse me-"19:08 <Alan>: "Are we sure we want this artifact?" I ask19:09 <Victor>: "Not entirely."19:09 <Alan>: "How can we be sure the Count can be trusted with such power? We've only just begun working for him."19:09 <Ookook>: "Why would we give it to the Count?"19:09 <Victor>: Are you over here?19:10 <Ookook>: You're right, I can't hear that and thus wouldn't say that.19:10 <Victor>: "I've been having that thought myself, even before the exact nature of the artifact was revealed."19:12 <Alan>: "Also, our mission was not to retrieve the artifact, but to ascertain its existence..."19:12 <Victor>: Have we actually met the Count yet Tikvah19:12 <Tikvah_GMing>: No.19:12 <Victor>: What would be my character's feel of the Count's character from what I've so far heard/experienced?19:12 <Tikvah_GMing>: How would I know?19:13 <Victor>: You're the GM19:13 <Victor>: You know how much I know19:13 <Tikvah_GMing>: They're YOUR character.19:13 <Skid>: Knowledge/hearsay roll?19:13 <Victor>: *I* would how I *interpret* what I've heard, of course; but *you* know *what* I've heard, to make the interpretation19:14 <Tikvah_GMing>: Fine. Do a knowledge roll.19:14 <Victor>: !roll d2019:14 <Dicebot>: Victor: 819:15 <Tikvah_GMing>: You've heard that he's a little stern, very patriotic, and generally regarded as trustworthy by the other nobles in the country.19:15 <Victor>: "I'm not committed to one way or the other at the moment, I'm just feeling this out."19:15 Victor moves to return to the vent if Alan has nothing more19:17 Greystone troops over to the pulled Victor19:17 <Victor>: "Sorry about that; where was I?"19:17 <Victor>: Oh19:17 <Greystone>: -_-19:17 <Victor>: Go ahead19:17 <Greystone>: We just won't let victor talk with the beast. -_-19:17 <Victor>: 19:17 <Greystone>: "Archer, you are knowledgeable about this type of creature?"19:18 <Victor>: "To an extent. It's rather rare."19:18 <Greystone>: "How challenging would you consider it to defeat?"19:19 <Victor>: "Ah, that kind of knowledge isn't as strong."19:19 <Victor>: "Rare to encounter is usually even rarer to engage."19:20 <Greystone>: "Hrm."19:20 <Victor>: "But assuming it can't escape the room, even the strongest creature would eventually fall to a barrage of arrows."19:20 <Victor>: "If that's what you're looking for."19:21 <Greystone>: "I just grow as weary as the creature of this discourse. But I suppose we should exhaust this course of action."19:21 Victor shrugs and returns to the vent19:22 <Victor>: "Sorry about that; where was I?"19:22 <Tikvah_GMing>: "You thought the artifact was a sword."19:23 <Victor>: "Ah yes, so good news, bad news."19:24 <Greystone>: "Yes, quite."19:24 <Victor>: "I don't know if you're aware of how long you've been keeping guard in here, but the outside world has changed quite a bit since I gather you were last aware of the state of the lands."19:24 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Oh?"19:24 <Tikvah_GMing>: He seems slightly interested at the prospect of news.19:25 Greystone is wondering intensely how the creature will take this news.19:25 <Victor>: "Yes. The Empire is actually not... 'There'. Anymore."19:25 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Not there?"19:27 <Victor>: "It fell. ...Centuries ago."19:28 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Show me proof that it has really been that long."19:28 <Tikvah_GMing>: It seems unsettled.19:28 <Victor>: "Certainly. How can we do that?"19:29 <Ookook>: I say to Victor, "The mere fact that we are here, the enemies of the empire, prove that it has fallen."19:29 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Do you have any coins on you? What about new technology?"19:29 <Victor>: Showing money was my first thought, but I don't believe we have any yet19:29 Victor grumbles further that we weren't paid for the last mission19:29 Greystone looks at the archer with two pistols19:30 Victor produces his torch and one of the pistols19:31 <Tikvah_GMing>: The lion looks intently at the pistol.19:31 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Show me how it works."19:31 <Victor>: "It's a projectile weapon."19:32 <Tikvah_GMing>: "I said SHOW me."19:32 <Victor>: "Of course, I was just explaining to be sure there isn't an accident."19:32 Greystone feels tempted to tell Victor to shoot him19:33 <Ookook>: Do we have the healer here?19:33 <Greystone>: That's me.19:33 <Victor>: Is there something in the room I could safely shoot?19:34 <Tikvah_GMing>: The lion's room or yours?19:34 <Tikvah_GMing>: There's a dead ogre.19:34 <Victor>: The lion's19:34 <Victor>: But that's better19:35 Victor takes aim at the ogre19:36 Victor isn't sure what he's waiting for19:36 Victor shoots19:36 Greystone makes a slight grimace at the sound19:36 <Tikvah_GMing>: The Lion is impressed.19:37 <Victor>: "It's emerging technology."19:37 <Greystone>: Under my breath, "Unfortunately."19:37 <Tikvah_GMing>: "And without the slightest bit of magic.."19:37 <Victor>: "Yes indeed! It's mechanical."19:37 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Alright, I'm convinced. Take the Trillsword and go."19:37 <Greystone>: !19:38 <Greystone>: That... was easy?19:38 <Tikvah_GMing>: "The cyclops were obsessed with Magic. They would never have crafted a weapon without it."19:38 <Victor>: "Can you go somewhere?"19:38 <Tikvah_GMing>: "If you open the door, yes."19:39 <Victor>: "I mean, do you have somewhere to go? After so long?"19:39 <Greystone>: Did the monkey get the second orb?19:39 <Victor>: Yes he did19:39 <Tikvah_GMing>: "I will be fine."19:40 <Victor>: "I'm glad."19:40 <Tikvah_GMing>: "But if I find out that you lied to me about anything, I will rip you to shreds."19:40 <Victor>: "I assure you I have not."19:41 Victor puts the pistol away19:41 <Greystone>: "Of all the useless assurances..."19:41 <Alan>: That was way too easy19:41 <Victor>: "It was an honor to meet such a majestic creature, I don't suppose you would share your name now?"19:42 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Caratacus."19:43 <Victor>: "Thank you Caratacus, I will remember this meeting always."19:43 Victor is convinced it's okay19:44 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Hmmph."19:44 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Stay clear of ogres on your way back."19:45 Greystone takes the second orb from whoever has it, and places it in the second hole.19:45 Victor moves aside the door19:45 <Tikvah_GMing>: The orb stops glowing and the doors creak open.19:49 <Greystone>: dun dun DUN!19:52 <Alan>: Alright, I use the key to open the chest19:52 <Tikvah_GMing>: The lion eyes you thoughtfully.19:54 <Tikvah_GMing>: Inside the chest is a small sword, although by its size it's more like a letter opener. Coiling snakes have been carved all over its metallic surface. The blade glows slightly green.19:54 <Greystone>: It is a sword!19:57 <Alan>: "But not /just/ a sword"19:58 <Greystone>: Did any of us think this artifact was 'just' a sword?19:58 <Alan>: Any sign of booby traps?19:58 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll a perception check.19:59 <Ookook>: !roll d2019:59 <Dicebot>: Ookook: 1819:59 <Tikvah_GMing>: You don't see anything.20:00 <Alan>: !roll d20 specialized20:00 <Dicebot>: Alan, specialized: 1720:00 <Tikvah_GMing>: You don't either.20:01 Victor looks around for tufts of fur or other evidence of the creature's inhabitance of the room20:01 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see some fur, an old bed in one corner, and a large heap of bones in another.20:02 <Victor>: Any indication of how it survived, food wise or anything?20:02 <Alan>: "I see that others have not been so fortunate as us..." I say20:02 <Victor>: Is that what the bones are?20:03 <Tikvah_GMing>: They loook like the remains of various small creatures. Goats, Birds, Horses... You think you see a human skull in there somewhere.20:05 <Ookook>: Is the lion still in the room?20:05 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yes.20:05 <Ookook>: Have we picked up the sword yet?20:05 Victor pockets some fur20:07 <Victor>: I believe Alan is holding it20:07 <Victor>: Unless he's just looking at it20:07 <Alan>: So far I've only looked. I'm slightly apprehensive to touch20:08 <Alan>: But what the heck?20:08 Alan picks up the sword20:08 <Tikvah_GMing>: You pick it up. It is unusually heavy, but nothing happens.20:08 <Alan>: Specs?20:09 <Victor>: After the mission probably20:09 <Victor>: You generally have to take time to study it20:09 <Ookook>: Maybe try stabbing something with it, to see if there are any magical effects.20:09 Greystone comes over and glances at the artifact, hands clasped behind back.20:10 <Tikvah_GMing>: An tiny sword about 5 inches long. What do you want to know?20:10 Ookook stands far away from the sword, just in case.20:11 <Alan>: I was thinking damage, weight, etc.20:12 <Tikvah_GMing>: It's 5 inches long. I wouldn't call it a weapon.20:12 <Victor>: It's an item20:12 <Alan>: Alright20:13 <Victor>: "Thank you for your patience, we will finally leave you in peace."20:13 <Alan>: Do I notice any change in my ability while holding it?20:13 <Tikvah_GMing>: No.20:13 <Alan>: (Do the tunnels go on further?)20:13 <Tikvah_GMing>: No.20:13 <Ookook>: Should we give the artifact to the Count?20:14 <Victor>: We'll decide after we see what it does20:14 <Ookook>: "I think that we shouldn't give it to him, at least until he pays us."20:14 <Victor>: "For both missions."20:14 <Ookook>: "We are mercenaries. Not free support troops."20:17 Victor nudges folks toward the door20:17 Greystone steps over to the creature, and speaks to it for the first time, heavily. "Will you adjust to the new ways of the world? Or will you resume your old paths of life?"20:17 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Old paths of life? You mean staying down in this cave for centuries?"20:18 <Tikvah_GMing>: "I will go see what this world is like before I decide."20:19 <Greystone>: "It is well. I would be pleased if our paths were to cross again."20:20 Greystone adjusts his pack and heads after the others.20:21 <Ookook>: What time is it, in game?20:22 <Tikvah_GMing>: Around nightfall.20:22 Victor leads the way to the ladder20:22 <Ookook>: I suggest we sleep over night inside the cave for protection.20:23 <Victor>: Down here?20:24 <Greystone>: Not a bad notion. Unless we are murdered by trolls in our sleep of course.20:25 <Ookook>: There are troll living down here?20:25 <Victor>: Oh yeah you weren't here20:25 <Victor>: Yes there are, and they can turn invisible20:25 <Tikvah_GMing>: 'twas an ogre.20:26 <Ookook>: Then maybe sleeping down here would be a bad idea then.20:26 <Victor>: Yeah we got one, don't know if there are more or not20:26 <Ookook>: But we brave the woods where we don't know if there are monsters than sleep where we know there are invisible ones.20:27 <Greystone>: The courtyard seems best to me.20:27 <Victor>: Yeah the plan was the courtyard20:28 <Victor>: We don't need to be in the woods20:28 <Ookook>: Good point.20:28 <Greystone>: Nice walls, gate, and a door to block the "down here" on the other side.20:28 <Victor>: Exactly20:28 <Tikvah_GMing>: So, you want to spend the night?20:28 <Victor>: Up in the courtyard yes20:28 <Ookook>: And it is small, so it is unlikely to just happen to contain a troll when we enter.20:28 <Ookook>: The court yard20:28 <Greystone>: If we set a watch.20:29 <Victor>: I start a campfire20:29 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alright then. I assume we don't have to play the whole thing?20:29 <Alan>: You assume correctly20:29 <Victor>: You know if we do or not 20:29 <Tikvah_GMing>: Nothing happens during the night.20:30 <Victor>: Yay20:30 <Greystone>: Huzza. No dead monkeys.20:30 <Ookook>: Where is Skid's character?20:30 <Tikvah_GMing>: At the castle.20:31 <Tikvah_GMing>: He was gonna join after you finished this mission, but you guys took a while.20:32 <Greystone>: We always do.20:32 <Victor>: Slow and steady survives the RPG 20:33 <Ookook>: "Should we head back to the castle?"20:33 <Ookook>: "Or do we still need to experiment to see what the sword does"20:33 <Victor>: "We need to decide about the sword before we get back."20:33 Greystone gives a muffled grunt from his sleeping roll.20:33 <Ookook>: Then we should start doing tests!20:34 <Victor>: "Alan, go stab a goat."20:34 Alan does so20:35 <Tikvah_GMing>: ...20:35 Greystone sits up at the mention of possible dead (and therefore edible) goat.20:35 <Tikvah_GMing>: You want to go goat hunting?20:36 <Victor>: They're not still right there?20:36 <Tikvah_GMing>: No.20:37 <Tikvah_GMing>: Why would wild goats stay next to your camp the entire night?20:37 <Victor>: They seemed pretty tame yesterday20:37 <Greystone>: Because they can't get out of the courtyard?20:37 <Victor>: That too20:37 <Alan>: I stab a goat when I see one *shrugs*20:37 <Tikvah_GMing>: If you want a goat, you'll have to hunt for one.20:37 <Alan>: Okay20:37 <Tikvah_GMing>: Why not find something easier to stab?20:38 <Tikvah_GMing>: Like a teammate.20:38 <Alan>: I want to have more fun than that =P20:38 <Victor>: Because it's an artifact of unknown magical properties described as very powerful20:39 <Tikvah_GMing>: But is it a weapon?20:39 <Alan>: Plus, if it's going to increase my power, I'd rather not use it on an ally20:39 <Ookook>: Looks kinda like one.20:39 <Ookook>: Maybe it is actually a potion.20:39 <Victor>: It's not a weapon, but it has a point20:39 <Ookook>: 20:40 <Victor>: Unless we have a clue to alternative usage stabbing comes to mind20:40 Greystone mumbles, "Just stab the troll corpse."20:40 <Tikvah_GMing>: ...ogre...20:40 <Ookook>: We left the troll at the bottom of the cave20:40 <Alan>: Just let me hunt a goat20:40 <Alan>: !roll d20 specialized20:40 <Dicebot>: Alan, specialized: 1920:40 <Alan>: I assume tracking falls under perception?20:41 <Tikvah_GMing>: Sure.20:41 Greystone is still 67% asleep. Not awake enough to care about the difference between a troll and an ogre.20:42 <Greystone>: And the bottom of the cave is not far.20:42 <Tikvah_GMing>: Closer than a goat, that's for sure.20:42 <Ookook>: Then maybe head back to the bottom of the cave and stab the trool20:42 <Ookook>: *troll20:42 <Tikvah_GMing>: *ogre20:43 <Ookook>: *Togre20:43 <Victor>: Would it affect a dead thing?20:43 <Ookook>: Maybe?20:43 <Alan>: If it's not alive, we can't really estimate its damage20:43 <Victor>: We don't know what it does20:43 <Greystone>: Who knows? Let's find out.20:43 <Ookook>: It might set things on fire or something.20:43 <Victor>: Well a wild goat is like 3hp?20:43 <Ookook>: But it has to be so powerful that the wielder of it can control defeat the empire.20:43 <Ookook>: Or something like that.20:43 <Tikvah_GMing>: It's a magical device that allows you to amplify your abilities many times over. It is only partly complete. You would need some basic smelting equipment to put it in working order.20:44 Greystone rolls all the way out of bed.20:44 <Victor>: Put it together as what though?20:44 <Alan>: Wouldn't a castle have that?20:44 <Victor>: Do you *use* it, or use it20:45 <Greystone>: "It's purely a utility. Complete it, if you want it to have anything to test."20:45 <Victor>: Anyway what was the exact direction about this thing?20:45 <Victor>: Is it for the Count or for Oddmund?20:45 <Tikvah_GMing>: The Count.20:45 <Victor>: Hmm20:45 <Greystone>: Ultimately the count.20:46 <Victor>: You never know, Oddmund could have sent us on a personal mission20:46 <Victor>: Being a cyclops20:46 <Victor>: Regain a piece of heritage20:46 <Ookook>: What other political forces are there in this world?20:46 <Tikvah_GMing>: Other than what?20:46 <Ookook>: The count20:47 <Tikvah_GMing>: The king. Although he doesn't wield that much power. If you decide to raise an army to attack your neighboring castle, he might not stop you.20:47 <Tikvah_GMing>: Unless it's wartime.20:47 <Tikvah_GMing>: Like it is now.20:48 <Greystone>: Now 49% awake, Greystone states sleepily from memory, "Travel to the Ogre's mouth. *yawn* Ensure that it is not inhabited by wild beasts. Search for the Trillsword artifact said to be hidden there. *another yawn* Unquote."20:49 Greystone puts his gear on.20:50 <Victor>: "Well we're not able to figure out what it is on or own; my vote is we turn it over."20:50 <Ookook>: "If we get paid."20:51 <Victor>: "Right."20:51 <Ookook>: But let us return to the castle none the less20:51 <Victor>: "We can ask Oddmund if he knows anything about it."20:51 Greystone is annoyed by all of the money talk.20:52 <Tikvah_GMing>: Are you adventurers ready to return to the castle?20:52 <Greystone>: "We have our orders, we carry them out."20:52 <Alan>: Yes20:52 <Victor>: To the portal yes20:52 Greystone is ready to head out20:52 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alright, nothing eventful happens on the way to the portal.20:53 <Tikvah_GMing>: The guards recognise you, but the whole outpost has a grim feeling that wasn't there yesterday.20:54 <Ookook>: I ask a guard why they looks so glum.20:56 <Tikvah_GMing>: Emissaries from Mitor arrived at our border yesterday. They have requested the king's immediate surrender."20:56 <Ookook>: That is not good.20:57 <Greystone>: "There are multiple kinds of requests."20:58 <Tikvah_GMing>: "You want to go back to Count Drindall's castle?"20:58 <Tikvah_GMing>: The guard begins to ready the portal.20:59 <Victor>: "Has the king responded yet?"20:59 <Tikvah_GMing>: "He is still deliberating. We haven't heard anything."21:00 Victor nods21:01 <Ookook>: I need to go soon.21:01 <Victor>: Through the portal guys?21:01 <Ookook>: "Sure"21:02 <Greystone>: We go through the portal GLaDOS.21:02 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alright, you go through the portal and arrive back in the town near the castle. Do you want to go to the castle? 21:02 <Victor>: We go report in yes21:02 <Greystone>: We head to the guard room and quit for the night, reporting in next week?21:03 <Tikvah_GMing>: Sure.21:03 <Tikvah_GMing>: Everyone gets 1 XP.21:03 <Victor>: We don't report immediately? 21:03 Victor is getting impatient for payment21:04 <Greystone>: Well, we need to go.21:04 <Victor>: Also that seems really odd21:04 <Victor>: We succeeded getting this precious artifact sir, but we held onto it for a few days for some reason21:04 <Tikvah_GMing>: Maybe the count doesn't want to see you while you stink of ogres and cave dust.21:04 <Greystone>: I would have stayed at the courtyard for the week.21:04 <Tikvah_GMing>: Fine, you report back next week.21:05 <Tikvah_GMing>: You can do it when you arrive if you want, just not tonight.21:05 <Greystone>: Fine, we can be at the tavern and report in first thing next week.21:05 <Tikvah_GMing>: ..21:05 <Victor>: Where is this next week coming from?21:05 <Victor>: Isn't the castle right here?21:06 <Greystone>: Next Sunday.21:06 <Tikvah_GMing>: I was talking about next Sunday.21:06 <Victor>: Ooooooh21:06 <Greystone>: -_-21:06 <Tikvah_GMing>: When our next session is.21:06 <Victor>: Yes, yes21:06 <Victor>: Not next week in world21:06 <Tikvah_GMing>: No.21:06 <Greystone>: No.21:06 <Victor>: What happened to {}21:07 <Victor>: Gosh

18:30 bookworm is now known as Victor18:30 Skid is now known as Gromit18:30 Woody is now known as Alan18:31 <Tikvah_Gming>: Alright, I believe your aim is to report to your boss.18:32 <Tikvah_Gming>: Let's see.. have you arrived at the castle yet?18:33 <Victor>: No18:33 <Victor>: Just came through the portal right?18:33 <Tikvah_Gming>: Alright, take it from there.18:33 <Tikvah_Gming>: The portal opens out into the constable's office in the village.18:34 <Tikvah_Gming>: Nobody pays you any mind as you exit the portal.18:35 <Victor>: Are we going to Oddmund or the Count?18:36 <Tikvah_Gming>: You could ask someone when you arrive at the castle.18:36 <Victor>: I thought we report to Oddmund because he sent us?18:37 <Tikvah_Gming>: The mission originally came from the count, but he gave it to Oddmund to pass on to the new recruits.18:37 <Victor>: Yeah I know that18:37 <Victor>: But does that make him the contact then18:37 <Victor>: Or just the sendoffer18:37 <Alan>: "I think we should go to the count, if possible"18:37 <Alan>: "I trust him more with the artifact."18:38 <Victor>: "Not the Cyclops?"18:38 <Victor>: "He may know if handing this over is something we should be wary about"18:39 <Alan>: "Or he may attempt to use it to restore the Cyclops empire."18:41 <Victor>: "I highly doubt that. If he holds feelings that would incite him to hold to and restore the old ways he wouldn't be working here for the count."18:41 <Victor>: "Judging from what the lion said about never trusting humans."18:42 <Alan>: "If you say so"18:42 <Alan>: "Though if we do go to him, I would advise requesting to deliver the artifact to the Count personally"18:43 <Victor>: "Of course. We will be taking it to the Count eventually either way, I just thought an extra stop on the way may yield beneficial information."18:43 <Alan>: "Sounds good to me."18:44 Victor seeks out Oddmund18:46 <Tikvah_Gming>: You arrive at the castle gate. The guard there leisurely asks your identity.18:47 <Tikvah_Gming>: It appears to be his job, but he doesn't really care.18:47 Victor identifies18:47 Alan follows suit18:48 <Tikvah_Gming>: He looks more interested. "You're the group that went out on the artifact recovery mission?"18:48 <Victor>: "Yes?"18:49 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I've been instructed to take you to the count when you return. Please follow me."18:49 <Tikvah_Gming>: He gets up and goes toward the entrance of the keep.18:50 <Alan>: We follow18:54 <Tikvah_Gming>: He leads you through the entrance, up some stairs, and ushers you into a large room. The count is sitting in a chair on a raised dais at the other end. Beside him are standing Finn and a woman you haven't seen before.18:54 <Tikvah_Gming>: The count motions you towards him with one hand.18:55 Victor approaches18:55 <Alan>: "Greetings, sir"18:55 <Tikvah_Gming>: "So, you have returned safely from the Ogre's mouth? I am glad."18:55 <Tikvah_Gming>: "It would have been terrible if you had perished on your first mission in my service.18:56 <Victor>: "Indeed."18:56 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Well, have you recovered the artifact?"18:57 <Alan>: "Yes, indeed we have"18:57 Alan presents the dagger18:58 <Alan>: (That is, the Trillsword, not the ogre's petty artifact)18:57 <Tikvah_Gming>: His entire face lights up. "That is wonderful news."18:58 <Tikvah_Gming>: The count examines it with much excitement.18:58 <Tikvah_Gming>: "This deserves an ample reward. By the way, did you find any wild beasts inhabiting the caves?"18:59 <Victor>: "An invisible ogre tried to catch us off guard, but was dealt with."18:59 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Impressive."19:00 <Victor>: "Fortunately it didn't use its condition to its advantage."19:00 <Victor>: "Not the brightest creature."19:00 <Alan>: "We also encountered a much more intelligent creature"19:01 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Really?"19:01 Victor gives Alan a look19:01 <Victor>: (A distinctly pointed look, but not clearly conveying a particular emotion or message)19:02 Alan wonders why Victor didn't warn him that he wasn't supposed to say anything19:02 <Victor>: I didn't say that. You don't know what the look meant.19:02 <Tikvah_Gming>: "What manner of creature?"19:02 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Was it aggresive?"19:03 <Victor>: "Not immediately, but it likely would have turned so easily."19:03 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Fascinating."19:04 <Victor>: "It was quite."19:04 <Tikvah_Gming>: "What did it look like?"19:04 <Victor>: "It resembled a lion."19:08 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Resembled a lion? Amazing."19:09 <Tikvah_Gming>: "You have proved yourselves to be resourceful." He nods to Finn, who gives each of you a bag containing 25 silver coins.19:09 <Victor>: "Glad to be of service."19:10 <Alan>: "You flatter us, sir"19:10 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Now, I hate to be abrubt, but when will you be ready for your next mission?"19:11 <Victor>: "It likely depends on what we're preparing for."19:12 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Well, I can give you a few days of rest, of course. But talent like your shouldn't be wasted."19:12 <Victor>: "That should be fine."19:12 <Alan>: "I cannot speak for the others, but I am prepared to depart immediately if you wish" (OOC: We've already slept, right? So damage is healed?)19:12 <Victor>: Last night yeah19:13 <Victor>: In the courtyard19:13 <Tikvah_Gming>: "The sooner I can make use of your services, the better."19:14 <Victor>: "Is there something in particular pending?"19:15 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I am sending my elite forces on a mission. If you could accompany them it would be most helpful."19:15 <Alan>: "May we inquire as to the nature of this mission?"19:15 <Victor>: "And the departure time."19:16 <Tikvah_Gming>: "The team will be leaving tomorrow. If you have recuperated by then, I will personally brief you before departure."19:18 <Victor>: "That will be adequate for me."19:18 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Perfect. In that case, I will speak with you tomorrow." He dismisses you with a nod.19:19 Victor returns the nod19:19 <Victor>: Does Finn follow us out?19:19 <Tikvah_Gming>: No.19:20 <Tikvah_Gming>: He, the count, and the other woman are examining the artifact.19:20 <Victor>: Is his room in our building?19:21 <Tikvah_Gming>: In the castle, yes.19:21 <Victor>: In our area I mean19:21 <Tikvah_Gming>: No, the count stays in the upper floors of the castle.19:22 <Victor>: Finn19:22 <Tikvah_Gming>: He also stays in the upper levels, since he is of higher status.19:22 <Victor>: Can we go up there?19:22 <Tikvah_Gming>: The ground floor is for guards and servants.19:23 <Tikvah_Gming>: You aren't supposed to, unless you have a reason.19:23 <Victor>: To talk to Finn19:24 <Tikvah_Gming>: He is conferring with the count right now. You can talk to him when he's done.19:24 <Victor>: That's what I'm trying to get to yeah19:24 <Victor>: But I'm not going to stand here until he comes out if I can get to him later sometime19:25 <Victor>: If I can't then I will19:25 <Tikvah_Gming>: He'll come down to the guard room in an hour or so to talk to Oddmund.19:25 <Victor>: Okay19:25 <Tikvah_Gming>: Gromit, you can be doing stuff too now.19:25 <Tikvah_Gming>: Since you are all at the castle.19:26 <Gromit>: Okay.19:26 Victor goes to his quarters and unloads his trophies19:26 <Victor>: We're roommates btw Gromit if you didn't see19:26 <Victor>: No19:26 <Victor>: Our rooms are next to each other I mean19:26 <Gromit>: Oh. Good.19:27 <Victor>: Just to keep in mind in case it comes into play sometime19:27 <Gromit>: Noted.19:27 <Victor>: No one else said specifically where their rooms are located19:28 Victor gets some training on some skill before going out in the morning19:28 <Victor>: I'll decide which and buy later19:28 <Tikvah_Gming>: OK, are you guys ready to skip to the briefing?19:29 <Gromit>: Yes.19:29 <Victor>: Tomorrow?19:29 <Tikvah_Gming>: Yes.19:29 <Victor>: No, I need to talk to Finn19:30 <Gromit>: Okay, talk to fishguy, and then we sleep.19:30 <Tikvah_Gming>: Alright, talk to Finn. He's done checking with Oddmund.19:30 <Victor>: Shall I just tell you what I want, or do you want to play it?19:30 <Victor>: Doesn't matter to me19:31 <Tikvah_Gming>: He is in the guardroom. Now's your chance.19:32 Victor greets him19:33 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Ah, Victor. How can I help you?"19:34 <Victor>: "I was just wondering if we could get the pay for that battle in the village before we head out again."19:34 <Tikvah_Gming>: He raises an eyebrow. 19:34 <Tikvah_Gming>: "That was included in your pay just now."19:35 <Victor>: "Ah, excellent!"19:35 <Tikvah_Gming>: "5 silver coins for helping me with the monsters, 20 for completing your own mission."19:36 <Victor>: "Perfect. The pay scale wasn't explained so I just wanted to be sure."19:36 <Victor>: Insight check19:36 <Tikvah_Gming>: What are you trying to find out?19:37 <Victor>: If that really was the breakdown or if he's just saying the first mission was included19:37 <Tikvah_Gming>: Roll for it.19:38 <Victor>: !roll d20 effort19:38 <Dicebot>: Victor, effort: 419:39 <Tikvah_Gming>: He seems to be telling the truth.19:39 <Victor>: "Are you coming on this next mission? I'm sure you're part of the castle's "elite"."19:40 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Unfortunately, my duties as the count's right hand are piling up at the moment and I must stay here."19:41 <Victor>: "Oh yes, is there trouble with the war situation? We heard something from the portal guards on the way back."19:42 <Tikvah_Gming>: "We haven't had much news, but it seems Mitor is pressuring the king to surrender. This is making the people angry."19:43 <Tikvah_Gming>: "They say that Drosdan has enough weapons to wipe Mitor off the map, but we don't know if it's true. Even if it was, there's no way of knowing how they would retaliate."19:44 <Victor>: "Well I certainly hope things can be resolved. If it isn't I assume we would not be immune from the effects behind these walls."19:45 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Certainly not."19:45 <Victor>: "Mm. Please inform us of any developments on our return."19:46 <Victor>: "Goodnight."19:46 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Hmmm. If I have the time I might, or you can go to the tavern and hear about it yourself."19:46 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Goodnight."19:49 <Victor>: (Tomorrow)19:50 <Tikvah_Gming>: You are summoned to the same room as yesterday. This time, the count is the only person there.19:56 <Alan>: "Hello again, sir."19:56 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I hope you are ready to fiulfill this next mission. It is of quite a different sort than you may be used to."19:57 <Tikvah_Gming>: "This mission requires a little more.. finesse."19:57 <Gromit>: "We're good at that."19:57 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I will be sending you to Mozu. You will be infiltrating a criminal's hideout and disabling the kismet depressor."19:58 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I don't know how they got ahold of it, but it has made the recent attempts to capture them futile."19:58 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Once it is disabled, the rest of the team will go in and capture the criminals."19:58 <Victor>: "Infiltration is essential? It can't be a raid?"19:59 <Alan>: "Not to sound pompous, but I think my skills will be particularly useful here. I don't use a Kismet."20:00 <Tikvah_Gming>: "The kismet depressor blocks any use of a kismet within a large area. However, this can be bypassed with a certain device worn on the person. So all the criminals are still fully able to use their abilities."20:00 Victor nods20:01 <Tikvah_Gming>: "You need to sneak in and break the depressor so that the attack team can use their abilities to suppress the criminals. Do you understand?"20:02 <Gromit>: "Makes sense so far."20:02 <Alan>: "What do we know about the building? How many entrances are there? Are they guarded?"20:04 <Tikvah_Gming>: "As far as we know, it's a large building in the industrial district. There will of course be guards. This group is highly organised, made up of mostly ex-soldiers." 20:05 <Victor>: "We must sneak, as such, or was that just a general description of getting inside?"20:06 <Tikvah_Gming>: "If you are found before the depressor is taken care of, you will be at a severe disadvantage. Take whatever actions you think best."20:08 <Victor>: "To be clear, discovery does not fail the mission; just makes it more difficult."20:08 <Victor>: "Is that correct?"20:08 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Of course, if you are caught, you mustn't tell them why you are there or the capture mission will fail."20:09 <Tikvah_Gming>: "The important thing is to destroy the kismet blocker."20:09 <Victor>: "Of course. But the capture itself isn't a problem? Other than for us."20:10 <Victor>: "It's not mission critical that we're undiscovered."20:10 <Tikvah_Gming>: "If you feel an urge to be captured, just make sure it doesn't jeopardize your mission."20:10 <Gromit>: "And what, exactly, will probably break it?" "Will kicking it do it? Fire? Speaking harshly about its mother?"20:10 <Tikvah_Gming>: "You should be able to break it among the four of you. Of course, they may have re-enforced the device, but I'm sure you'll manage."20:12 <Alan>: "Will we be accompanied by any others in the sneaking portion of the mission?"20:13 <Tikvah_Gming>: "The rest of the elites are not suited for stealth missions."20:13 <Victor>: "Once it is destroyed do we sneak back out to tell the others? Or is there a signal for them to move in immediately?"20:14 <Tikvah_Gming>: "They will be able to tell when the blocker is broken. As soon as you have disabled it, come straight back here. The others will take a long time cleaning up, and I would like you to give me a progress report."20:15 <Victor>: "And is destruction a definite order, or should we leave the device intact if we happen to find a way to simply turn it off?"20:15 <Victor>: "Presumably capturing such a device for our own use has benefits."20:16 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Of course, that would be a bonus, but don't worry about too much."20:16 <Victor>: "Understood."20:17 <Tikvah_Gming>: "The team is waiting outside for you, so you should leave now."20:17 <Alan>: "Alright. Victor, if you're satisfied, I say we shove off."20:19 <Victor>: "I'm never fully satisfied, but I don't know of additional preparations that can be made."20:19 <Alan>: "Then we are off"20:20 <Tikvah_Gming>: You find the rest of the team, burly, hulking fellows, and you set off for Mozu.20:21 <Tikvah_Gming>: By the time you reach the right sector of the city, it's getting dark. Someone points you to a large building and slips away to join the rest of the attack team.20:23 <Tikvah_Gming>: The building in front of you is smack in the middle of the lower end of town. You see a large door on the West side, light by some lanterns. Four guards are standing outside.20:23 <Alan>: "Alright. I think it may be wise to sneak in under cover of darkness. Not only would it provide an asset to our stealth, but the criminals may be sleeping."20:24 <Gromit>: How many stories? Windows?20:25 <Tikvah_Gming>: One story. There aren't any windows, but on closer inspection you find a pile of crates on the South side.20:25 <Tikvah_Gming>: You also feel the Kismet blocker taking affect.20:25 <Gromit>: "How much of the building do we need to leave standing?" 20:25 <Victor>: "Unfortunately all of it"20:25 <Victor>: "We can't be discovered remember"20:26 <Gromit>: "We can't /all/ be discovered. Who want to be on the diversion team?"20:26 Victor smirks20:29 <Gromit>: How flammable does the building look?20:29 <Tikvah_Gming>: It's made of stone.20:30 <Gromit>: "They must pay a fortune in torches."20:30 <Tikvah_Gming>: Or lamp oil.20:31 <Gromit>: How much does a barrel of lamp oil cost?20:31 <Tikvah_Gming>: About 3 silver coins.20:32 <Gromit>: Is this like kerosene grade or like olive oil?20:33 <Tikvah_Gming>: Like whale oil.20:33 <Gromit>: Ah.20:33 <Gromit>: Okay. What time of night is it?20:34 <Tikvah_Gming>: About 920:34 <Alan>: "How is the oil relevant?"20:34 <Gromit>: "Arson."20:35 <Gromit>: "Hypothetically."20:35 <Gromit>: "But I think there's a way in through the roof. So who feels sneaky?" 20:37 <Alan>: "Care to explain why you think so?"20:38 <Gromit>: "This place would be a deathtrap if there wasn't a second opening somewhere. So it's either the roof, a tunnel, or a portal."20:38 <Gromit>: "Criminals don't hang out where there isn't a back door."20:39 <Victor>: "Greystone or the monkey should start. Sneaking is among their strengths."20:39 <Alan>: "The monkey could scout out the roof"20:40 <Tikvah_Gming>: You could just go through an alley and come to the back of the building.20:40 <Victor>: Does that help us get to the roof?20:41 <Tikvah_Gming>: Then you could get to the crates to the south without going past the guards.20:42 Gromit looks around for carts parked around.20:42 <Tikvah_Gming>: Roll a perception check.20:42 <Gromit>: !roll d2020:42 <Dicebot>: Gromit: 820:43 <Tikvah_Gming>: You don't see any.20:43 <Victor>: You wanted to try a Dread Pirate Roberts?20:44 <Gromit>: "With plan B, run and screaming diversion?"20:44 <Gromit>: Where's the nearest tavern?20:45 <Tikvah_Gming>: Roll a knowledge check.20:45 <Gromit>: !roll d20 1 effort20:45 <Dicebot>: Gromit, 1 effort: 1920:46 <Tikvah_Gming>: There is one a few streets to the north. It's a pretty low end place, but they have a reputation for cheap ale.20:46 <Gromit>: Does it have a backdoor?20:49 <Tikvah_Gming>: Yes,20:50 <Tikvah_Gming>: It does.20:52 <Victor>: I should go soonish if possible20:52 <Gromit>: Yeah, let's plan this out over the week, then be ready to go next session.20:52 <Victor>: When we have the monkey20:53 <Victor>: Hopefully20:53 <Tikvah_Gming>: That sounds fine.20:53 <Tikvah_Gming>: You all get 1 XP for participating in the mission.20:53 <Victor>: Oh btw20:53 <Victor>: Window into the character if anyone cares:20:53 <Victor>: The reason Victor asked Finn after the first mission if the Count was paying for that battle was if he had said no he was going to inquire about payment from the villagers. He's not accustomed to providing his services for free.20:54 <Victor>: That's why, if you were wondering, he was getting restless going on another mission before getting payment for that one. After leaving the village pay had to come from the Count if it was coming and the more time that passed the more likely it would get overlooked.20:54 <Victor>: It wasn't just bookworm going 'where's the money?' 20:55 <Jeremiah>: Window into Alan's character: I've been trying to be the first one to speak in most conversations. Alan, being of royal blood, is eager to assert himself as the leader of the group20:55 <Victor>: I caught on to that20:56 <Victor>: So good job 21:00 Alan quit21:00 Woody joined #Gowers21:00 Gromit is now known as Skid21:02 Tikvah_Gming is now known as Tikvah21:03 <Skid>: Okay, I'm leaning towards luring guards away from the front door, mugging one for his keys, and then handing keys off to the stealth team while continuing the street fight until we can ditch them in a barfight.21:06 <Skid>: Actually infiltrating is left to those more qualified, but they'll have the asset of guards distracted and the keys to the front door, if not more.21:07 <Woody>: I think I ought to be on whatever team is in combat, since my abilities are not kismet-dependent21:08 <Skid>: Combat team abilites will go active as soon as we're away from the building. Infiltration team abilities will go active as soon as they break the device.21:09 <Skid>: Victor is very handy there, since as soon as the mission is done he can just teleport out of the building. Or maybe he should be on loot-grabbing duty.21:09 <Woody>: Then perhaps I'm more useful on the stealth team21:10 <Woody>: Also, Victor has enough XP for stealth training21:10 <Woody>: If I do a journal post, so do I21:10 <Skid>: Oh. I guess obnoxious sniping would help with the distraction a lot.21:10 <Victor>: I can teleport out only assuming we don't have to venture more than 200 ft into the place21:10 <Victor>: We don't know the layout21:11 <Skid>: We know the outside dimensions. Stick a teleport tag by each outside wall. You'll be close enough to one of then.21:11 <Skid>: Or just throw one down every 200 feet on the way in.21:11 <Skid>: ...assuming the supressor doesn't make the tags fizzle.21:12 <Skid>: We should test that.21:15 <Victor>: I'm curious why your Plan A is immediately revealing ourselves when the mission briefing used the words infiltrate sneak and undetected multiple times21:15 <Skid>: Because as long as they don't know /who/ we are, that's the same as not seeing us.21:16 <Skid>: Especially when the infiltrators shouldn't be seen at all anyway.21:16 <Victor>: Right but that was for if the sneaking failed21:16 <Victor>: Not for doing that *instead* of sneaking21:17 <Skid>: We have too many people to all go sneaking on short term notice.21:18 <Victor>: Why don't we just jump them then and no one try sneaking at all21:18 <Victor>: Four guards, five of us21:18 <Skid>: Because I don't think we have the firepower. There are more guards inside. And the idea is to get as many as possible out in the street.21:19 <Skid>: If we could clear the building ourselves we wouldn't have elites waiting to storm the place.21:20 <Skid>: So the objective is to waste as much guard time outside as possible.21:20 <Skid>: If you can get inside and lock them outside, all the better.21:20 <Victor>: You're going to hold them up that long?21:20 <Victor>: I don't see this as an in and out thing21:20 <Victor>: Also we need all of us, probably, to smash the whatsit so if the fighters all stay outside..?21:21 <Skid>: What are you doing in there besides breaking things?21:22 <Victor>: Finding the thing to break21:22 <Victor>: I'm sure it's not going to be in the middle of the first room we enter21:23 <Skid>: I suspect it will glow or have pipes and steam.21:24 <Victor>: Finding I said, not identifying21:24 <Victor>: We have no idea what the layout is in there and what it will be like to navigate21:25 <Victor>: Could have a basement to miles of tunnels for all we know21:25 <Skid>: Also: If we can drop some guards we can grab one of their immunity devices, giving us access to powers within the perimeter.21:26 <Victor>: Of course21:26 <Victor>: That was the first thing I thought of21:26 <Victor>: But do these door guards have those?21:26 <Victor>: I figured it would be the top guys inside21:26 <Skid>: If one of them spontaneously ignites or flies, we'll know.21:26 <Victor>: Yes21:27 <Skid>: Also, can't rule out the suppressor being human.21:27 <Skid>: Or creature, anyway.21:28 <Victor>: All the more reason to have the full party inside to take it on21:29 <Skid>: If it was the most threatening thing in there they'd just send the elites straight in. Not much point in throwing cannon fodder at it.21:30 <Victor>: You think they know the details of all this?21:30 <Victor>: That wasn't the impression I got21:31 <Victor>: But we'll see

As last reported, I have indeed taken up a position under Drindall as a retainer. As you know from my correspondences on my travels, I have become no mean fighter, and the occupation suits me well. I was issued some gear of use, including one of those new-fangled half-shire cacophonous mechanical excuses for an honorable weapon. The various ranged weapons of our day were enough for a caitiff, and at least they required some fine mastery of skill. Now with these things any fool with just minimal teaching, or even fumbling about on his own, can maim a fighter who finds himself in too poor an estate for proper armor. Needless to say, I gave mine to the fellow retainer who it seemed would most appreciate the additional crutch. The said retainer is an enigma to me. He is one of the sort who prefers to fight at a less than honorable distance, and has invested in a Kismet of the sort to allow him to escape. Yet he does not seem to be overly lacking in good sense, and can hold quite the intelligent conversation, albeit meticulously and at a less than stellar pace. And he can be fairly quick in combat, despite his plodding thought process at other times. Yesterday I found that he can be overly sweet with his words when he wishes to be. I think he is straightforward with those he considers companions, and syrupy-tongued toward any others whom he needs something from. But that is getting ahead. As to my other companions, I will make remark on them after I have studied them more, with the exception of, the monkey. Unusually enough, we do indeed have a monkey in our party, as a party it has become, by the name of(Here Greystone paused for a number of moments) Ookook. His shenanigans and willingness to run tend to grate me some, but I must confess I have quickly developed an inexplicable fondness for the creature. Perhaps it is his bright energy and cheerfulness, in stark contrast to the rest of the party, but I have not had a source of cheer like this monkey’s blitheness for the length of my quest, and its caring ways directed toward the party has warmed my heart. I must confess I would be more than contented if the monkey should wish to take advantage of my broad and unwearied shoulders as a perch, but I have a slight fear of offending the creature by offering frequently, lest it believe that I perceive it as weak. Ah well. But, as to events. After arriving at Drindall’s keep I settled into the guardroom, which while not fine, is of greater nicety than any of my refuges of late. We were given a mission to retrieve an artifact from Ogre’s Mouth. Nothing of much event happened until we were inside the caves, where I spied a mountain ogre approaching a fellow retainer from behind, whereupon I naturally engaged the creature with immediacy, lest a fellow fighter fall under my watch. You know I am not found of talking, but I gave voice to alert the others of our guest. The beast was dispatched without excessive difficulty, I suspect the strength of the gravity-assisted blow that I first struck left it at less than its full capabilities. I would have preferred a head-on engagement at its full capabilities, but the creature forfeited it’s right honorable treatment by it’s choice of stealth tactics. I have however myself learned much of stealth in my time roaming, it having proved a nigh necessity with the more evasive creatures. I am currently struggling with some thoughts at to whether I may find it necessary to use such methods on persons. The idea of anything other than honorable combat disturbs me. The old ways are fast slipping away. Soon it may be considered “more efficient” to shoot a person in the back with a blasting device, rather than to charge them to open combat. My years are not many, but I feel old, Ayissa. My mind is weighed down this evening with such thoughts as these. After the troll we encountered one of the Grand Beasts. It could not have been that which I am seeking, as it had dwelled faithful in those caverns for a veritable age. It was guardian of the relic we were sent in search of, but we were able to peacefully relieve it of it’s duty. Had it come to blows however, I would have delighted to meet such a creature head-on. I still hope to someday. The archer, in contrast, would have shot at the beast from where it could not retaliate to. He professed a lack of danger to justify a lack of honor. He would have thought releasing the beast to a fair fight would have been unsafe. As if safety is to be valued more then glory. Any foe, even an insentient one deserves an equal footing wherewith to prove its worth and die with honor. While I doubt the creature would have fallen to such shameful methods, the idea of a beast so glorious and a guardian so faithful being pot shot by a little man with a bow, rather than having honorable death worthy of it, turns my innards. One can gain strength and glory only by risking one’s self. Honor is being lost, “efficiency” is the ruler of our times. The old ways are going. ‘We can dispatch the creature from here, so why risk ourselves?’ Because this is the way a warrior does it. This is how honor is won. Facing off in equal circumstances, and proving one’s self upon the other’s body. I am tired, and I fear I ramble. We have a new mission in the morning, I shall write of the occurrences that arise from it. I apologize for the lack of paragraphs, I remember how you used to scold me for my lack of the aforementioned. I will try to do better in my next correspondence.

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